Knox and Isaac: The Present: Chapter 4

SURPRSISE!! Heyyyyy! So this is how it's going to go. Because I have been getting verbal pitchforks over the delay on this story, I decided to post it before Telija. *Gasp* Oh no! Yeah, yeah get over it. I had a computer mishap last week and lost the Telija chapter somehow, but it's almost rewritten. Get a hold of yourselves!

For those of you that haven't figured out how much I love music. I'm going to warn you that my tastes range from soft, wispy background music to extreme, brain throttling bass. That said, here is a lovely EXTREME playlist for all of you techno/ house/electronica/ etc. junkies after my own heart. If you can't stand dubstep, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. Here goes nothing! I hope you all like it! ♥

Knox and Isaac Chapter 4 Playlist



Giliap (Wax Motif Remix) - Rebecca & Fiona

Fall (Remixed by M83 vs. Big Black Delta) - M83, Big Black Delta & Daft Punk

Eyes on Fire (Zeds Dead Remix) - Blue Foundation

Seventeen - Ladytron

Can't Stop Me (Club Mix) - Afrojack & Shermanology

Thing Called Love (Above & Beyond 2011 Club Mix) [feat. Richard Bedford]

My Balance - Grimelock

Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT REmix) - Metric

Professional Griefers (feat. Gerard Way) - Deadmau5

Lick It - Kaskade & Skrillex

The Night Out - Martin Solveig

I.D.G.A.F.O.S. - Dillon Francis

I Like That - Richard Vission & Static Revenger Starring Luciana

Licky (Work It Out) [Herve UK Radio Edit] - Larry Tee & Princess Superstar

Master and Servant (RSS Remix) - Depeche Mode

Dance In The Dark (Monarchy "Stylites" Remix) - Lady GaGa

Afterhours - Melleefresh vs. Deadmau5

Down, Down, Down (Digitalism Remix) - The Presets

Sorry (Dirty South Remix) - Kaskade

Somebody That I Used To Know (Tiesto Remix( [feat. Kimbra] - Gotye

Heads Will Roll (Little Vampire Remix) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Heartbreaker (feat. John Legend) - MSTRKRFT

One (Original Mix) - Swedish House Mafia

Youth Blood (12th Planet & Flinch Remix) - Little Jinder

New In Town (Fred Falke Remix) - Little Boots

Young Blood (Tiesto & Hardwell Remix) - The Naked & Famous

Who's Your Daddy? - Benny Benassi

The Engine Room - A perfect Lie (Gabriel & Dresden Remix) -**Isaac's Dance**

Knox and Isaac Chapter 4

City buildings flew past Isaac’s eyes. Their car breaking record speeds in city traffic as Hannah navigated around vehicles without caution. He was going to throw up. He just knew it somehow. That was a lie, he knew the how, the why—had felt the building sickness for the past few hours. His secret debut grew closer with every passing second. It wasn’t so much the fact that he was going to dance, take his clothes off down to the leather thong he had on underneath. The nerves were due to Knox, the reaction or possible rejection he would receive from the vampire he had grown to love.

Yes, despite the way Knox treated him, the things he said. Isaac always knew deep in his heart Knox was his and he was Knox’s. It was in the way Knox watched him when he was supposed to be angry. It was in the way Knox was always near. It came down to the smallest things like Knox switching strictly to orange popcicles after their kitchen encounter, in secret listening to the same music as him. That made Isaac smile even though he still felt like he was going to be sick.

Rolling down the window for some fresh air, he inhaled the scent of the city. Garbage, urine, take-out and some heavy perfume as they passed a group of teenage girls—God, he loved this place. The lights, way above were always his favorite. Like the stars before the stars, Isaac stared at the sky. He jumped when Nan put a hand on his shoulder, the vehicle pulling down the alley behind Sated.

“We’re here, Iz,” she murmured. Nan saw his eyes flicker, widen before panic set in.

One look at the back door with the spray painted club logo and Isaac forgot how to breathe correctly. One sharp gasp led to many smaller ones—his hands finding Emma’s head rest to ground him to the world.  Great time to have a panic attack, Isaac, he chastised himself.

“Huh uh.” Hannah cut the engine, turning in her seat. “You are not going to chicken out. This is the first time you’ve really set your mind to something. No turning back, Izzy baby. If you need to hurl, do it outside. I’ve got some tic-tacs around here someplace.”

“Hannah.” Emma groaned. “A little encouragement maybe? You sound like a football coach or some shit.”

“That was encouraging.” Hannah shrugged. “Come on, Iz. Let’s get out and get you some air.”

His eyes were still locked on the back door. A half dressed man eyed the vehicle suspiciously, popping open the door and slipping inside. Isaac caught a quick flicker of a line in the back hall before the door closed.

“You can do this,” Nan whispered in his ear, stroking his hair slowly. “You love to dance, Iz. Go show him. Fight back for once.”

His phone buzzed in his lap, the feeling triggered a lull in his throbbing head. It was a message from Joseph.

Waiting for you guys in the back. Better get here quick if you want a spot. The line is filling up. J

“Tell me I can do this,” he said unsure.

“You can do this,” the three girls returned. The confidence in their eyes, the three women that had his back until the end were sure he was ready.

“Okay. Let’s do this.” He wrapped his coat tighter around his body.

Emma opened his door, allowing him to plant one long lean leg on the ground. Leather met the asphalt. Tight thigh high boots secured with ties ran the length of his legs. He felt like he was in a movie. All he was missing was a red carpet. Only in this movie, when he breached that door, no one would know who he was. Except for two people he would have to avoid until he went on stage. Frank and Knox, there was the tricky part.

Watching Isaac intently, Nan checked both sides of the alley before opening the back door for him. Emma and Hannah stood to either side with their arms crossed. Isaac took a deep breath and shed his coat, holding onto it for dear life.

“Showtime.” He walked through the door and to the back of a line. 

About a dozen dancers chatted away. Some pretty flamboyant—pink bedazzled bikinis or lime green briefs. Isaac almost felt sorry for them. He knew one look at them from Knox and they would lose any chance of dancing in a place like this. He could hear the hard beat of the bass pulsing through the walls around them. Feel the heat from the caged lamps above. This place was not some down home, roughneck strip club. This was a high end bar that offered high end entertainment to a crowd who liked it rough. There was a difference.

A blonde head rose above the crowd. Joseph searched him out on his tiptoes. Waving a hand, Joseph pushed between two dancers in feathers to greet them. “Hey.” He smiled. “Wow, you look—wow.”

Isaac hid his blush. He had to be tough, not all innocent and shy in a place like this. He was about to strip in front of strangers after all. Risking another panic attack was not an option.

“Thanks. These are pretty comfortable actually.” Isaac waggled his brows, snapping the string holding his leather shorts together.

“You wear them well,” Joseph added. “I’m really excited for you, Isaac.”

“I’m really glad you’re here. Thank you for coming.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Joseph chuckled. “But you should know a few things before you go out there. First—” He leaned in close. “You’re the only one that will get any further than tonight. The others are a joke. Second, the house dancers are at a table near the front of the stage. Don’t let them bother you. Just keep dancing and you’ll win them over. Third, the guy running this line is a hard ass. He’s one of the owners I gathered.”

The twins looked at each other and groaned. Emma frowned at Hannah. “You said he was working bar tonight. You promised me Joey was handling the dancers.”

“He was! They must have switched.”

“What are you talking about?” Isaac started to panic a little.

“They’re talking about him.” Nan sighed looking straight at Frank who was pushing through the line.

“You know him?” Joseph asked quickly. “That’s the owner.”

“Unfortunately,” the twins replied.

“Mind telling me what you’re all doing here? Then explaining why Isaac is dressed like My Little Leather Barbie?” Frank eyed the group, gaining the attention of the other dancers in line.

“That’s not fair.” A slim dancer next to the group flicked his eyes to the others. “He’s got a hook-up. The kid’s a fucking shoe-in.”

Frank turned narrowed eyes to the dancer. “You know what I hate worse than a bad dancer? A fucking pussy ass tattle tale. And one that wears pink sparkles on top of it. Grow a dick or get the fuck out of my club you Lady Gaga wannabe.”

Earning a few snorts from the other dancers, the man pouted and turned back around—attempting to blend into the wall as all eyes slowly shifted away from him.

“Now where was I? Oh. Yeah. What is this?” He waved at Isaac’s outfit.

“I’m… I’m going to dance,” Isaac managed.

“The fuck you are. Now why are you here? If you wanted a drink, you could have come through the front. You’re not babies, so why the back door?”

“Dad, he’s gonna dance.” Hannah gave him a firm look.

Frank laughed—a sound meant for disbelief. “Yeah. Right. If I let Isaac up there, his dads would skin me alive and Knox would probably do worse. So cut the shit. What do you all want?”

“I’m going to dance.” Isaac fisted his hands at his sides, angry now. “And if you tell Knox or my fathers—” He looked up with deadly blue eyes. “I’ll tell Aunt Jess about your Enya collection.”

“His what?” The twins chorused in shock, breaking into a fit of giggles.

“Shut up!” Frank commanded. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t listen to that crap.”

“Yeah, you do. So, what’s it going to be, Frank?” Isaac, suddenly confident, stood his ground for once.

Joseph watched the strange interactions of the small group. This dude was the twin’s dad? Made sense in some ways, but why was Isaac so afraid of him knowing about the dancing? And who was Knox?

“Knox will kill me.” Frank finally relaxed his shoulders. “He’s out there right now, Iz. He will shit bricks before he goes nuclear on you. Then he’ll most likely call your dads. This will not end well. Mark my words.”

“It’s going to end tonight—all of it. I’m sick of hiding this from everyone, something I love to do. And—” Isaac swallowed. “Tonight I’m going to show him I mean business.”

“Ah hell kid, you’re doing this for Knox?” Frank shook his head. “Do you have any idea what I mean by nuclear?”

“I do.” Isaac tried not to return Joseph’s wide eyed stare.

“And you really know how to do this? You can dance on a pole?”

Frank took Isaac in closely now. He really did look like he belonged at Sated. The only person in line dressed for the part. All the straps holding his boots together, the fishnet that covered his chest to be torn off later, the collar at his neck, and the black eyeliner setting off his darkened blue eyes—he looked like a creature of the dark, a pole twister that would throb cocks for miles. As much as Frank hated to admit it, not an ounce of man love in him, Isaac looked sinful.

Joseph laughed in response. Taking over for Isaac, he flicked his eyes to Frank. “He can dance on a pole and then some. I’ve never seen anyone do what Isaac can do and I’ve seen a lot.”

“And who the hell are you?” Frank inhaled subtly—human for sure. Four vamps bringing a human to Sated. Must be dinner or something, the owner mused.

“I’m his teacher.” Joseph stuck out a hand. “Joseph.”

“Teacher? You can’t be older than twenty. This gets weirder by the second.” Finally feeling like a dick for making the kid stand there with his hand empty. Still incredulous, Frank shook Joseph’s hand.

“I’m twenty six actually, but I’ve been dancing my whole life, pole dancing since I was eighteen. I teach in Harris.” Joseph tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear as the owner measured him up.

“Ceramics?” Frank groaned at Isaac. “Kid, you’re good. I’ll give you that. Fucking knew you didn’t make no vases and shit. But—”

“Dad, please,” Emma begged.

Her big green eyes did that little glassy thing Frank was helpless against. Glancing at Hannah, her lip trembled as if she was six all over again—her eyes matching her sister’s. Frank was a goner.

“You really want to piss off Knox that much? You trust that he won’t kill you, Iz?” Frank bore eyes into Cade’s son. He could already imagine the aftermath, but he knew the kid was going to do this, permission or no. “Can you handle the part where he tells you no?”

On the sidelines, Joseph studied Isaac, seeing the change as if a switch had been turned on. Isaac was completely in love with this Knox guy. It was plain as day. The change from shy boy to confident man came when Isaac let his arms fall from defensively around his chest to at his sides—relaxed. He wanted this. The very idea caused a mischievous depth to his stare. He truly was dancer, an artist, a lover. There was no way any man could say no to Isaac after seeing the passion in his moves.

“He’ll never tell me no after tonight,” Isaac stated in a husky tone, surprising himself and scaring Frank.

“You’re going to do this regardless, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Isaac smiled.

“Fine, but I had nothing to do with this. Do you understand me?” Frank cocked his head, wanting Isaac to follow.

“I never saw you.” Isaac took the lead, but Frank stopped.

“I meant just you, Iz. It’s dancers only from here on out. You guys go on in.”

“But—” Nan worried. Isaac might be confident now, but what if he chickened out back there by himself.

Isaac put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I’ll be fine, Nan.” He leaned in. “Thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me. I just wanted you to know that. In case he does kill me.” Isaac grinned.

She squeezed his hand, let it go, and turned around before she lost the nerve to give him up to the world—to Knoxtian, I’m an asshole, Montesego. Somehow, in a way, she knew everything was going to change tonight. Isaac really had grown up. This was his future and hers waited right on the horizon. She could feel it. Nan spared him one last look between the twins who were giving him a few last words. He winked and she smiled. Isaac was going to be just fine. That was what she told herself anyway.

“I already gave your music to the DJ and the house has your set-up. DJ was impressed with your choice if that gives you a little boost and the stage tech? He said that the fog was only for regulars when they did their acts, but he’d throw you a bone this time. I think he was bored or something.” Joseph chuckled.

“It’s a good song and it deserved fog.” Isaac shrugged with a grin.

“We got to go if you want to use the stage entrance from the dressing room. It’s the only way Knox won’t see you until you’re up there.”  Frank nervously shifted his feet. He felt like a child waiting for the principal or something and he didn’t like it one bit.

“Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Joseph. I couldn’t have done this without you.” Isaac pulled his teacher in for a hug.

“I’m proud of you, Isaac.” Joseph squeezed his student tight.

“Fuck, what is this, a Lifetime movie? Get your ass back here. Already giving me an ulcer and I haven’t even drank yet.” Frank started to walk to the back. “And we’re moving, Iz!”

“Bye,” Isaac whispered, letting go of Joseph.

“See you up there.” Joseph waved.

In the dressing room, Isaac sat in front of a mirror—soft bulbs lighting his face. Frank stood in the doorway.

“Wendy will call your cue through that door. You’re number four,” Frank judged by the clipboard on the wall. “So, I’d say maybe ten more minutes. This is your last chance to back out, Iz.”

“I’m doing this. I’m sorry if you think I’m being stupid, but this is just as much about Knox as it is about dancing. I love dancing like I love breathing and maybe a pole is a sign of sex to you, but to me? It’s so much more than that.”

“You’re not stupid, Iz. I’m worried. I can worry, okay?” Frank put his hand on the doorknob. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. I know how he is. We all do.”

“I’m doing the right thing,” Isaac proclaimed—to himself or Frank, he wasn’t sure.

“Good luck, Iz. I hope to God you’re right.” Frank shut the door without another word. If all went well, maybe the club would still be standing by the end of his shift.

Isaac tried not to dwell on what was about to happen. Instead, he walked to the wall. On the other side was the stage, the music of another dancer. He put his hand to the wall, feeling the thrum of a beat too fast to move to. Yet, he knew on the other side, a dancer was giving it their all. For money or for the love of dancing didn’t matter. All that mattered was that they had enough confidence and power to not be afraid. If they could do this, Isaac leaned against the wall, he could do this too.

Knox sat on the steps leading to the VIP section upstairs and watched the stage through the bars. New dancers always made him nervous. Bad things happened with stage virgins. Every once in a while they’d find a jewel. More often than not, that wasn’t the case. Drug addicts, roughnecks, unreliable—they all came looking for a chance to fuck up.

The dancer on stage wasn’t half bad—his moves that was. His look was another thing entirely. Skin so greased up it was a wonder he didn’t fly off the pole and land on the ground below. Hair spiked up like it was nineteen eighty seven with—was that glitter? Knox groaned, back leaning against the wall.

“Who the fuck wears lime-green leggings?” Knox tamped the urge to cover his eyes.

Averting his stare as a distraction until the next hopeful took to the stage. Knox noticed three familiar faces emerging onto the scene. Hannah and Emma lurking about wasn’t unusual. They worked here. Nan and the new kid sliding into a booth in front of the stage, that was unusual. Nan stayed away from Sated and he liked it that way—the two of them never seeing eye to eye. He couldn’t blame her though. He was an ass to her best friend and she was a mother hen if he’d ever seen one.

The only thing missing was the best friend. That worried him enough to get to his feet and descend the stairs. He caught Frank slipping behind the bar. Their eyes met—Frank looking away quickly, busying himself with drinks. Something wasn’t right, Knox could sense it.

Passing Frank with a hard look, Knox went to the booth and slid in. Tension high like a blazing fire, he folded his hands on the table.

“What have we here?” He eyed the blonde man next to Nan. Man a subjective word, the guy barely growing facial hair much less qualifying as an equal to him.

“Hello to you too, Knox. Such an asshole,” Nan sneered.

“You’re Knox?” Joseph perked up.

The dance teacher took Knox man with a hint of fear. The guy was huge. His black t-shirt barely contained his muscles and he had to be well over six feet. Hair blue enough to swim in and dark eyes like the pits of hell, Joseph looked away quickly. Fuck, this guy is hot, the teacher blushed.

“Take a picture, sweetheart. Maybe get you off later.” Knox growled. “Who the fuck is this clown?”

“He’s Isaac’s ceramics teacher, Joseph. He’s a mutual friend.” Hannah narrowed her eyes. “Be nice, Knox.”

“Why are you looking at me like a science experiment, Joseph, the ceramics teacher?” Knox leaned over the table.

“I… I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.” Joseph looked up. “I’ve just heard your name before.”

“Isaac talking shit about me or something?” Knox’s nostrils flared. He didn’t like this little shit knowing stuff about him or talking with Isaac like that, being around his… fuck. When Joseph didn’t say anything, Knox looked around. “Where is Isaac?”

Emma clicked a nail against the glass on the table. “Running some errands for Jacob.”

“You’re lying,” he stated after getting ahold of his anger. He was on the floor in front of clients. He couldn’t afford to start a scene he couldn’t finish.

“Does it matter, Knox? He’s not here.” Hannah flicked her eyes to the stage. “We just wanted to check out the fresh meat with the others. No big deal. Figured it was a calm enough night to bring Nan and Joseph along. They’re not big on whips and chains Tuesday.”

“Whips and chains Tuesday,” Knox muttered with a snort. “Funny.”

“I thought so.” Hannah took a drink from the server floating by. “If you’re just going to be an ass, find somewhere else to sit. We’re trying to watch the entertainment.”

“This is my club and—”

“We’re paying customers.” Emma spread out a few large bills on the table, an evil grin on her lips. “Relax, Knox. Watch the stage. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

“Where is Iz?” He whispered, looking at the table.

“Working,” Nan offered casually. This time Knox couldn’t hear her heart race. She wasn’t lying.

He slid his arms over the back of the booth, checking out the finale for the eighties court jester who had dubbed himself a stripper. All that remained now was a gold lame thong, bills stuffed inside the elastic and between his ass cheeks like a joke.

“Whatever,” Knox commented to the booth.

The stage tech knelt down to the side of the stage, no one noticing him except Knox because it was his job. The vampire frowned as the fog machine wrapping around the back of the stage kicked on and the lights dimmed to a deep blue glow around the pole—the effect eerie yet highly sensual to the eye. No one used the fog machine or the other equipment for except for regulars. They had set-up routines, themes to their acts. What the fuck was going on? This was amateur night!

“What the fuck is this? None of the regulars are going on tonight.” Knox sat forward, glancing over to the booth where the permanent dancers were all accounted for.

The DJ, hidden behind his glass booth, announced the last dancers exit, asking for a round of applause for Mickey. Stupid fucking name, Knox thought, more than an amateur, but worse than a street walker. The greased-up dancer bee lined for the bar to drink his night away. All eyes fell on the stage as the DJ geared up another song.

“And now please give your attention to Midnight. A little bit of dark and sexy for all you creatures of the night out there. Enjoy.”

The DJ cut the track into a slow, thump of a tune—a song that pulled Knox closer to the edge of the booth like he was under a spell. The house lights darkened until the blue glow lit up the fog as if the moon cut right through the ceiling.  Hannah and Emma smiled in the dark. Joseph rested his chin on his fist in anticipation. Nan held her breath.

The curtains parted a little, black on black. Only Isaac’s pale skin shown through the dark—long slender legs, the curve of his neck on display under the collar, his arms as they wrapped around the pole. The mask on his face only showed his blue eyes—seeking out Knox immediately as he slowly dipped down to the ground.  When he locked onto those dark eyes in the crowd that he wanted so badly, Isaac started to dance.

Knox was still, almost dead in his seat. Mortified, aroused, enraged—he couldn’t figure it out. Above any odor in the bar, he smelled Isaac—a tantalizing scent in which he fought his body not to get a closer whiff. Gripping the booth for support, Knox couldn’t look away as Isaac moved on stage. A train wreck of the most beautiful kind slid down the steel pole.

He could feel the attentions of every person, vamp and human alike, all focused on his mate. All Knox could hear around him was heavy breathing and music. They too were spelled. Surprise swam above the other emotions in his head. Isaac lifted his leg straight against the pole—his body one line save for his torso, wrapped his hands around the cold steel and spun like he was no longer constrained by bones or muscles. Only fluid movement made up his body.

“Fuck,” Knox whispered, shifting in his seat to settle the growing erection between his legs.

He wanted to crawl onto the stage. He wanted to lick those boots that encased the creamy legs he longed to taste. He wanted to wrap those leather straps around Isaac’s neck for a second, have him clamp down on his dick so hard while he rammed his cock inside his mate. Knox wanted those lips to scream instead of smile wickedly at him from above. Isaac Hightower knew exactly what he was doing to him—driving him right off the deep end.

Isaac lifted his body off the ground, his hair falling back. Every muscle in his arms burned with pleasure. He ground against the pole slowly—his torso rippling like a wave before the crowd. Every eye was enamored, struck by his snake like moves. The way he blew the fog away silently. The way he was able to dance up the pole as if he were flying. The way he slowly bent over when he came down, sliding his hands down the backs of his thighs to release the ties connecting his boots to his shorts. The shorts fell beneath the fog—revealing his smooth ass cheeks to the crowd. Isaac twisted his hand, releasing the straps into the pit of booths.

Nan couldn’t believe her eyes. Isaac was truly in his element. A bit of sweat ran down his arms, no doubt from the hot blue light above. His mouth was open and begging to be taken. She had never pictured Isaac like this and still felt nothing, but sisterly love for him. But, damn if he wasn’t the most erotic thing she’d ever seen. In between staring at him and detailing his every move, she wondered what Knox would do to him when the dance was done. She prayed Isaac finally got his happily everafter.

The twins shared a devious look. They’d known all along that something was up between Knox and Isaac—more than Isaac’s little crush. The only reason they’d pulled Isaac back yesterday from going with Knox was because of this. If had gotten with Knox, he’d never have gone on stage tonight. He deserved to make a name for himself. He’d never had something to call his own and now they couldn’t help but be proud of what he’d done. Sure, they were bitches most of the time, but when it came to Isaac. He was like the brother they’d never had. He deserved this moment in front of Knox—to show his mate he was more than some play thing. That he was a man and Knox should never ever question that.

Joseph was stunned to his seat. Isaac was beautiful. He moved with a grace and prowess that most dancers sought after all their lives. Even on a pole he looked regal, dramatic, and everyone in the room could feel it. He was glad he finally got to see the day where Isaac stood up for himself, left the dark corner of his low self-esteem and showed the world who Isaac really was. He was dark, sensual, commanding. To be a part of his debut made Joseph proud. Isaac was going to go places and Joseph knew their friendship would eventually fade, but he was glad he could always have this to look back on. Finally, he’d done something good to help another. Isaac was now free.

Knox growled, knowing his eyes were trying to shift despite his control. His fangs hidden behind tightly shut lips, he jumped when those straps were thrown into his lap. A seductive look from his mate and Knox was about to break. He felt the money being slid under his hand on the table, a person behind him.

“I think your mate wants this,” Hannah whispered in his ear.

He didn’t have time to panic about that simple statement. She was right. Isaac dropped to his knees on the stage. Right in front of him the spotlight moved slowly like the hour was changing with the moon. Knox saw another man moving in with cash and he sprang to his feet. A sharp look at the man from Knox and the sat back down. Smart move, Knox growled. Isaac was waiting for him, fingers slowly unsnapped a button down the front of his barely there thong. More black leather, more skin revealed to Knox’s eyes.

Isaac crooked a finger. Knox took a step closer. The music moved as if it was attached to the grind of Isaac’s hips, the move of his hands over his chest and groin. Knox was on fire, his cock rigid in his leathers. This wasn’t right. This was the Original’s son on stage taking his clothes off. All these people watching his mate undress, thinking about putting money against his mate’s skin. No, Knox hissed.

The last step was the hardest, the feeling of giving in, submitting so to speak to his mate. He was so pissed he was entranced. The backwards feeling caused an erratic rhythm to his process of breathing. As angry as he was, he couldn’t help but place his hands on Isaac’s thighs. His hands ran over the bumps of leather straps, a reprieve of smooth skin before gripping the leather thong as Isaac moaned.

The crowd leaned forward as one. Every vampire in the room hummed with power, sex running through their veins. They wanted an outlet for the arousal within them. They wanted to see the large vampire claim that boy hard. They wanted the dark feeling surrounding the stage to amplify until they could get the ending they so wished.

Knox wasn’t having any of that. He snapped the elastic bands away his mate forcefully—a painful slap to Isaac’s hips when the thong back at him. Three hundred dollar bills slipped into the band. The men’s breathe flowing back and forth with only a few inches between their faces. Knox let Isaac know with his eyes how he felt. Isaac didn’t care how pissed Knox was—only that he was getting exactly what he wanted. Knox was so his.

He rose before his vampire, his erection clearly displayed before Knox’s eyes. Stepping back to the pole, Isaac gave it a quick spin, spreading his legs into a split, and rising into the air. He would finish doing his dance because he was free to do so. He had them all under his spell. Every eye trained on him. Even human, Isaac could feel the want, the need, the image of him naked before them.

Coming back to the ground, his nails dug into the netting at his chest—ripping it slowly off his body. The smooth line of his slender torso caused a collective hiss in the crowd. Creamy skin against the industrial steel pole drove them out of their minds. Cautiously, feeling the claim Knox had given the crowd, vampires from all over the room laid money at the edge of the stage. No one touched the boy or lingered in his presence, only monetary gifts laid out as a strange offering of sorts for a job well done.  No human had ever evoked a reaction from them like this that was not their mate.

Hypnotically swaying his hips, a low grind to the ground, Isaac rose one final time—his ass in the air, legs spread and cheeks bared on either side of the leather thong. Their hunger for his body made him bite his lip. He’d done it. He’d really fucking done it. Confident of his next few moves now, Isaac gracefully met the pole with his fingers and spun down to the thickening fog—his leg lingered in the air, sinking down to meet the ground and out of sight.

The music slowly dwindled with the blue light above. Darkness engulfed the club. Isaac crawled between the curtains before the stage tech closed them. When the lights went back on, a few wisps of fog remained, but Isaac was gone. In the dressing room, he gripped the mirrored counter. He threw his head back and laughed—completely high on the crowd’s reaction. While Knox’s erotic touch lingered on his skin.

Knox snapped out of it. His surroundings returned and he slammed a hand on the table—jostling every glass and person around him. “You all knew about this!”

“Knox, calm down.” Nan scooted away. Oh yeah, he was pissed now that Isaac’s spell had worn off. Shit times ten.

“Calm down?” He laughed, attracting a few looks from the tables next to them. He leaned in with narrowed eyes. “Showing his body off to everyone like that! Stick around. It’s about to get real fucking ugly. After I’m done tearing Isaac a new hole in his ass, you’re all next…” His words died off at the look on the twin’s faces. Evil as ever, they smirked as if his words meant nothing.

“A new hole in his ass?” Hannah’s smile grew wider.

“Fuck you all.” Knox rose from the table, up to the bar. He pointed at Frank. “I knew something was up, but I never expected you to be involved. Enjoy closing the place down on your own tonight, Frank. God, you’re such a mother fucker.”

“Knox, chill out. You’re scaring people.” Frank tried to round the bar, but a group of guys huddled in his space. “Don’t do anything stupid. You know how he is. I’m begging you man.”

“Stupid? No, what you did was stupid. What I’m going to do is illegal. Keep it clean, Frank,” Knox sneered. What was normally a goodbye line between them—something that meant to keep the bar flowing as usual—was now spat like a curse. Frank couldn’t help but feel a little wounded. That was their thing! Now Knox had gone and sullied it. He pouted a little.

The blue haired vamp booked it in wide strides towards the dressing room—the only place Isaac could have gone with that kind of exit. He was sure of his destination as the glorious scent of Isaac’s sweat was pulled through his nose upon a deep inhale.  Knox pushed open the door to the dressing room, letting it whack against the fabric covered wall. He stood there, imposing, furious and still very hard.

Isaac gasped, jumped back into the wall on the opposite side of the dressing table. The other dancers that had arrived in the room minutes ago scattered past Knox. One look at the vamp sent them running for the hills. In reality it was Knox’s eyes that pushed them away, sending the thought into their minds—causing them to flee.

Hands splayed against the wall, Isaac felt his heart beat trying to jump out of his body. His blood rushed in his ears, still high on adrenaline, and suddenly fearful of the vamp coming closer. The metal door slamming shut on the spring hinges made him cringe. They were now completely alone with Isaac’s consequences. Now he had nowhere to hide. He’d teased, he’d prodded, he’d actually begged for this moment. But now that it was here, he didn’t know what to do. Knox had finally come for him—rough and ready and very, very angry.

Knox let the power flood his eyes, swirling gold as his fangs dropped in his mouth. “How dare you,” he hissed. “How dare you make a fool of yourself in my club,” he lied.  “In front of vampires who know your family and your fathers!” Knox roared his anger, still captivated by Isaac’s fearful stare. “How dare you bare your body to strangers like a whore!”

Isaac sunk to the ground in fear, upset suddenly, wallowing in grief at the cruel words directed at him.

“You should be scared, Isaac! You should feel like shit for what you’ve done. Asking Frank to lie for you, to hide things from me! Getting your friends involved in this… whatever it is. But more importantly for doing this to me.”

Knox growled, stalking forward until he stood above Isaac. He gripped his forearm and hauled him to his feet. Clutching his mate tightly, Knox pushed Isaac into the dressing table to look at their reflection.

“Look at you.” Knox ran his hands over Isaac’s bare torso, lingering over his small, pink nipples—pinching them between his fingers until Isaac hissed in painful pleasure. “Is this what you wanted, Isaac—to push me so far over the edge, to get me angry as hell? Because if it is. You win, baby. Going up there and moving like that for everyone to see. Anyone could have touched you!”

“Why are you mad?” Isaac squirmed in Knox’s embrace. His skin was feverish and not from the sweaty dancing, but from Knox’s harsh touches. He wanted to rub against his vampire, to feel him under his hands.

“Why the fuck am I mad? Are you kidding me? Twenty three years, Isaac, twenty three fucking years! It wasn’t supposed to be this way.” Knox whirled Isaac around. He pushed him into the mirror, ass on the dressing table. Legs spread in invitation. “Twenty three years of torture.”

“What?” Confused, Isaac’s brow furrowed. “What does my age have to do with this?”

Knox realized his stupid slip, but he wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot. “No one asked you to talk, did they?”

“You don’t own me. I’ll talk if I want to.” Isaac dug the heels of his boots around Knox’s ass, making him wobble closer. He was consumed with Knox surrounding him. A dangerous spike in his libido brought sly words from his mouth. “I asked you a question.”

“And I’m not going to answer.” Knox growled back.

“Then what do you want, Knox, a private dance?” Isaac licked his lips, begging Knox to kiss him—teasing the vamp without mercy. “You’re not making any sense. Touch me or don’t touch me. Stay or get out. Tell me or don’t tell me. Make up your fucking mind for once. I know what you want. I know what I want. Now tell me face to face and stop acting like such a pussy.”

Realizing his mouth was hovering over Isaac’s, Knox pulled back to look into wide blue eyes. “You’ll never dance on that stage or any other stage again. Showing this off for just anyone is forbidden.”

“Forbidden?” Isaac scoffed. “I’m an adult. If I want to give others pleasure by looking, it’s my right and no man will take that away from me. You can’t forbid me. You aren’t my master and if this about my fathers, go ahead and tell them.”

He’d hoped for an explosive episode between them finally, but now, he doubted everything about Knox all over again. Telling him what to do like he was five, making demands, not once telling him how good he was out there or how sexy he looked. Everyone was right. Knox really was a bastard.

Isaac looked down with sad eyes. “You know, for the life of me I can’t figure out why I want you. I can give you a list of reasons, but when you look at them, none of them are concrete. Not one thing screams at me to keep putting myself through this. You have no idea what it took for me to go up there tonight, to do what I loved because I thought—I thought for a second you would finally tell me—”

His wrist was snatched. His body pulled close to Knox’s chest. Lips devoured his—a scorching tongue didn’t ask for permission, but pushed in by force, demanding contact. Even with his impassioned speech—his clear refusal of Knox’s hate—Isaac couldn’t say no to the feel of Knox’s large arms surrounding him like the walls that made up a home. His foundation made of the ground that seemed to tilt under them with each flick of the vampire’s tongue, each twist of Knox’s fingers into his back.

“Mine,” Knox hissed across his lips. “Always mine.”

Picked up by his ass, Isaac was relocated to the leather chaise in the corner. Eye to eye, the men struggled to understand what was happening, true feelings or just lust—both of them worried to let go, but for different reasons.

“You hate me though,” Isaac murmured.

Knox shook his head against his boy’s neck. “I could never hate my mate,” he breathed.

Suddenly stilling his body over Isaac like he’d been stabbed and the shock was setting in, Knox realized the words he’d let go of. In truth, he’d just verbally stabbed himself. This was not how he’d wanted to do this. This was not the place. He’d made plans for this moment. Oh shit.

It took a second for the haze of Knox’s body covering Isaac to make those words sensible, logical to his mind. Time seemed to slow down. Isaac shivered, memories flooding him like snapshots in his head. Everything locked into place—the puzzle that was Knox’s hatred towards him all coming to light. His mate? All this time, Knox had lied to him. He’d disrespected him to hide his dirty secret. He’d shunned him, pushed him so far sometimes he’d considered—

“Isaac,” Knox breathed, feeling the cold run through his mate. A dead calm that matched Isaac’s eyes.

“You lied to me.”

“Isaac, we can talk about this.” Unceremoniously thrown off Isaac, Knox landed flat on the ground—eye level with the soles of Isaac’s boots.

“Twenty three years and I tortured you?” Isaac laughed, sort of cried. “You made a fool of me. You’ve betrayed me so many times I can’t even count. Every second I begged to be a part of your life and you knew why. You knew why I loved you and still you treated me like shit. What did I ever do to you to make you feel this way? Why was I never good enough for you?”

Knox sat up to watch Isaac’s eyeliner drip in inky streaks down his face. “I had to, Isaac. I had no choice.”

“Yes, you did.” Isaac felt so exposed. In nothing but a thong and knee high boots, he felt on display, like a whore to the man that had flipped his world in a matter of seconds. “You let me think I was crazy. You split my parents apart from me for so long, had them fighting to the point that it hurt me. All this time and you knew I was your mate. All this time you let me feel like I was all alone. You have no idea what I went through because of you. And yet still I want you.”

“Yes I do.” Knox got to his feet cautiously. “You don’t think I know exactly what you went through because of me? You are the one who has no idea. To know since the moment you arrived at the compound—a little baby—that you were mine, but I couldn’t touch you. It’s so fucked up, Isaac. How do you think I felt? How sick and twisted would it be to be part of your childhood when I knew in the end I would claim you as mine? To watch you grow up, all these little memories of your first steps, your first kiss, the day you got your driver’s license. I couldn’t do it! I’m not your family. I’m not your uncle or your father. I am your mate and it was wrong!”

Isaac was starting to panic. He was angry, not really, but he felt like he was. He felt betrayed somehow. He felt abandoned after all these years. But still he craved Knox with a vengeance. He still felt that he had to tell him how he felt. “You hurt me. Time and time again, you could have smiled or gave me a little bit of attention. I’ve been of age for how long, Knox? Five years and you haven’t once come for me,” he whispered. “You’ve let me drift along, crushing so hard on you, falling in love with you. I am so sorry that I’m not the one you wanted. That I embarrass you, not a fighter like the others.”

He turned away. He couldn’t look at Knox. He’d wanted to be his for so long. He’d wanted those arms around him so many times he couldn’t count. Now here they were, letting it all out. And only because he’d made the choice to fight for what was his. But Knox was angry. He didn’t want him back. What was he going to do? “That I’ve shamed you for so long, tortured you.” He picked up his jacket. “I’ll go now. I just, I wanted to, never mind.”

“You can’t leave me.” Knox growled. “You’re mine.”

Knox had strung him along like a doll. All he’d ever wanted was to be held, to be loved—to fit in. And all along Knox had been that place to fit, but he’d denied Isaac so hard there was little hope in the young man’s heart that he’d ever be happy again. Now he’d grown into a freak. He wanted the pain that Knox offered. He wanted things that normal people didn’t want. But above all that he wanted a man that was poisonous to his heart. Knox had ruined him for life.

You know what he wants to hear, Knox thought. Studying Isaac’s nose as it flared. You know how to make this right, but you’re scared of opening up when he could really reject you. You love him with every nerve in your body, yet you let him stand here thinking you don’t. All these thoughts and more filled Knox. His beast didn’t know what to do. One half wanted to throw Isaac against a wall and rut like an animal, but the other wanted to hold him tight, whisper sweet apologies and make it all better. If it was possible, his body would have split in two and ran in different directions.

“The night of your eighteenth birthday, I did try to tell you.” Knox took a step back and Isaac actually faltered. “Then I realized you would react exactly like this. I realized everyone was right about me and I didn’t—I didn’t deserve you.”

“But you knew I was your mate. It would’ve been okay. Everything would’ve been just fine.” Isaac pulled on his jacket to feel less naked. Knox had called him a whore or hinted to it. He didn’t feel so sexy now. He felt like melting into a puddle and escaping down a crack in the floor.

“No! It wouldn’t have been fine.” Knox’s beast was fighting to make an entrance. His mate was all sad and vulnerable. He wanted to attack him with his mouth. Show Isaac how much he was needed, how fucking beautiful he was—how sexy. “I needed time.”

“Time? How long were you going to wait, Knox, until I finally went crazy from wanting you?” Isaac skipped around Knox as the vamp closed in. His mate was so much bigger up close and he was so small. His heart sped up. He felt like he was going to be sick from the intensity of Knox’s eyes. “Just don’t. You don’t want this like I want this.”

“Yes, I do.” Knox licked his fangs, taking another step. “You have no idea what you did to me out there. I can’t hold back anymore.”

“I want all of you.” Isaac held his breath as Knox closed in. “But you’re such an asshole to me,” Isaac whispered.

“It’s what I do. It’s who I am. And you fucking love it.” Trapping Isaac against the wall, Knox’s hands planted against the flat surface. “Tell me what you want, Isaac, and I’ll give it to you. You want an apology? You want me to tell you what I think of you?”

Isaac squirmed. “We shouldn’t do this here. They’re all listening out there. I know it. We should—”

“Not a chance.” Knox pinned Isaac’s wrists against the wall above his head, squeezing them with force. His body connected with his mate’s, earning him a shudder from Isaac. “What do you want, Isaac?”

Just like Knox, Isaac’s body fought for control between two emotions—slight anger and love. His brain flooded with so many emotions—so heartbroken, so very aroused. Now he knew he couldn’t help but want Knox like this. It was in his blood—or was it? Confused, Isaac chanced a look at Knox. He gasped at the swirling eyes looking back, the fangs caging Knox’s tongue.

Knowing he couldn’t take Isaac here, not enough room or privacy for his mate, Knox had to convince Isaac to come with him like he’d planned all along. Somehow, some way, Isaac was going to be his. He dipped his head during Isaac’s moment of shock to inhale his mate’s neck. Arousal thick like honey made his mouth water, his heart rate speed up. Honing in on the rhythmic sound of Isaac’s pulse, Knox licked his tongue over the smooth skin slowly.

Naturally, Isaac squirmed even more. This time it wasn’t that he was fearful or sad. He was still confused, but Knox’s tongue was so hot, just right. The erection below rubbed against his as if two sticks were trying to make a fire.

“Fuck,” he whispered, relaxing his wrists against Knox’s palms.

The slow melt of Isaac’s body caused Knox’s rumble of approval. His mouth latched over his mate’s neck to suck hard at the skin.

“Stop,” Isaac pleaded half-heartedly—an attempt to control the situation. “Please, stop.”

Knox only sucked harder, letting go of his mate’s wrists to pick him up by the ass and slide him up the wall for a better taste.

“Knox! Oh God.” Hands going around Knox’s shoulders, Isaac held on tight. Shivering violently, his boots slid into place over the swell of the vampire’s ass. “Stop,” he rasped.

“I like hearing you beg me.” Knox hissed in Isaac’s ear. Pressed tight, sandwiching his mate between the wall and his body, Knox felt his dominance flooding forth. “I warned you I’m an asshole, no good, but you wouldn’t stop, just like I’m not going to stop now.”

“If you do this here, I’ll hate you forever,” Isaac lied. “Everyone will hear it.”

“You can hate me, but you love me more.” Knox nipped at one ear lobe, piercing it just a little bit to suck a drop of blood away. The taste good enough to release in his leathers below, but he had enough self-control to hold his self together.

Isaac hissed at the delicious pain. “What if I don’t?” He wanted to hear Knox say it back. He wanted more than anything to hear something to make him feel not so one sided.

Knox forced Isaac to look at him with a sharp hiss. “You will always love me. Don’t you ever fucking say that again.”

“Or what?” Isaac gaged Knox’s reaction, his eyes filled with hurt as much he tried not to show it.

“Or you’ll be punished.” Knox ground hard against his mate, making the threat very clear.

“What if I don’t care?”

Knox squeezed Isaac’s ass, rubbing his mate’s groin all over his body. “You’ll care. Trust me.”

Something in Knox’s tone forced Isaac to study his face. “Why did you wait? You could have had me for so long.”

Thrown by the question, Knox leaned back—letting Isaac slip from his embrace. Beyond the fact that he was an asshole, he was also a coward when it came to the true reason for their mating delay. Isaac watched Knox sink onto the leather chaise, facing away from him. The vampire’s shoulders fell, his face in his hands.

“Your fathers. One, I’m scared of them. Two, I don’t want them to do anything to you. Take you away from me because they hate me.”

Isaac was cautious as he took a closer look, shocked by Knox’s answer. He knew, even if the vampire wouldn’t admit it, that Knox was hurting as much as he was—the urge to run to him and make everything between them about true mated love instead of just lust and unanswered questions was instant. But he held back. Knox’s answer made him mad. Was his mate that big of a coward that he wouldn’t fight for him? This had been partly about his fathers the entire time?

“You waited five years to touch me because of my fathers? Please tell me you’re joking.” Isaac exhaled, crossed his arms because he couldn’t believe it. “You’re a Royal warrior, best friend to the prince, and you’re scared of my fathers?”

“They’re Guardians, Isaac!” Knox stood up to face his mate. “Your da is the fucking Original. Do you have any idea the amount of strength it takes your pop to hold him back when he’s pissed? Imagine he finds out what I’ve been hiding, how I hurt you because I wouldn’t fess up, because I’m a fuck up. He would kill me, Isaac. He will take you away from me and kill me.”

“My da would never do that! We’re mates. He would never take that away from me.” Isaac threw his hands up. “Do you not want this? Is this just some excuse to push me away or are you really serious?”

Knox was starting to slide off the deep end. Confused, broken that Isaac would think he was a coward, the truth of how much he had hurt his mate—it was all too much. He didn’t deserve the beautiful man that was fated to be his. He was better off dead than anywhere near Isaac. His life meant nothing without him though. The consequences wouldn’t stop pestering him on top of it all. Cade would find out, Rowe and the others. They would come for him eventually. Burnt out and tired of lying, a true coward, Knox grabbed Isaac’s hand. They needed to get out of here before both of them started to dance in circles around the subject. He needed to show Isaac how he felt. Fuck everything else.

“That’s it?” Conflicted with emotion, Isaac was dragged down the hall. “You don’t have an answer for that?”

“Not right now, Isaac.”

Jaw dropped, Isaac grabbed for Knox to slow him down. “No! You don’t get to do this because you can’t say how you feel to me! Making up crappy excuses! You owe me that much. Tell me, damn it.”

“Stop! If you touch me again, you’re not going to like where it lands you.” Knox threw open the door, his entire body rigid with barely contained arousal. If Isaac grabbed at him one more time, it was going to end with very public sex—the kind that would be burned into the back of your eyes for the rest of your days.

“Oh, you can touch me, but I can’t touch you! You’re crazy!” Isaac yanked his hand for all that he was worth as they exited the dressing room. Knox was stronger though. Down the hall, he was pulled after his mate. “Stop right now and talk to me, damn it!”

“Nope.” Knox kept walking until he had to slow down to squeeze through a pack of staff members gathered. “Get back to work,” he barked. He came to a complete stop as Frank stood in front of the back door with his arms crossed—the others flanking him.

“Knox,” Frank warned. “Why don’t we go into the office and talk this out?”

“I’d rather swallow broken glass, but thanks for the offer,” Knox sneered. “I’ll give you a minute.” Knox let go of Isaac. “But you better be out in the car in five minutes. No more, Isaac.” He pushed past Frank, knowing Isaac would come. He was too pissed off now not to. Knox smiled secretly. He loved his boy angry, even if he was an asshole for thinking so.

“Isaac?” Nan stepped in his way.

“Kind of busy here, Nan!” He moved around her.

“With your mate?” Hannah asked casually.

Isaac’s head whipped around, following the trail of knowing eyes around him. How did they? They all knew! “You all—”

Hannah shrugged. “How could we not? You’re the only one that didn’t see it.”

The feeling of his world dropping out from under him, the scent of betrayal, all of it left Isaac stunned—even more pissed off. His teeth clamed together to keep the embarrassing tears back, Isaac flicked his eyes around wondering for a second where Joseph was. The thought fled as his eyes met Nan’s again.

She could see how hurt he was, but she also knew this needed to happen. His anger could be channeled into passion for his mate, who was now out in the back alley.

“Go after him, Iz. You finally have him. Go be happy.” She counted the seconds it took for Isaac to look at her normally, not like she had betrayed him. Truthfully, she hadn’t known at all until tonight.

“He lied to me. All this time, he lied.”

“Hey,” Frank interrupted. “I know what he did was really wrong and you completely hold the right to kick the shit out of him, but Knox doesn’t know how to do this stuff, Iz. If you haven’t noticed, he’s not exactly everyone’s favorite around here. And with a secret like that, I don’t know that I wouldn’t do the same. I just found out from them and I’m still in shock about it. Imagine having to watch you grow up like that—that had to be hard on him, Iz. Add your parents on top of that and I’d be scared shitless.”

Overwhelmed with Frank’s words sinking in, the same fear of his parents, Isaac brushed Nan’s arm and made for the door. He had to find out if this was real. Sure he felt it, but he wanted to hear it from Knox again, wanted to feel his touch one more time before he let his mind believe it was true. His heart said yes, but he needed to audibly hear that Knox wanted him back.

Knox could feel Isaac near. He was about ready to explode—pacing back and forth in the alley, whispering to himself, acting like a crazy person. He knew that if he got Isaac away from the others, they could get in the vehicle and leave—be alone. He’d planned on doing this later tonight or tomorrow at the latest. So what if plans had changed, everything was still ready. Watching Isaac on that stage confirmed everything he felt for his mate. He couldn’t wait any longer. Not hours, not days—he would claim Isaac tonight.

Seeing as how Isaac responded to his anger, Knox cleared his throat and made for his car the moment the back door flung open. Opening the door, he glared heatedly at Isaac—who glared right back.

“You coming or what,” Knox growled. Inside, his beast was thrilled that Isaac was standing there, had come for him. He wasn’t sure if he could make the entire drive to their secret destination, but he was sure as hell going to try.

“Well, you can’t exactly leave me here,” Isaac marched over, clutching his coat to him tighter—shivering in the frigid night air. “I hope you don’t plan on going home. Everyone back at the compound will know what you’ve done soon enough. And with you scared of Guardians and what not,” he teased, disguised as anger. Maybe he did like being angry at Knox because it turned the vampire on. Or was that just his imagination?

“What the hell do you care, Isaac? I’m just an asshole, aren’t I? Your coward of a mate?” Knox played the scorned lover card, getting into his car with a slam of the door. He counted to three before the passenger door ripped open and Isaac hopped in.

“You’re not getting off that easy, you bi-polar son of a bitch. You started this and you’re going to finish it!” Isaac crossed his arms, cock throbbing at their screaming interactions while looking out the windshield—trying his best not to look at Knox. Maybe it was him who liked the angry banter. God, he was such a freak now!

“I don’t think you’ll like how I finish things, Isaac.”

“And how the fuck do you know that, Knox? You’re the one who puts his hands on me and then walks away. You’ve never finished anything.” Isaac cut his eyes over. His heart stopped at the look of hunger on Knox’s face. He squirmed in his seat, crossed his legs to look out the window again.

“Fine.” Knox turned over the ignition, revving the engine to life with a mighty roar. “We’ll just have to find out the hard way.”

“Fine,” Isaac spat. “Guess we will.”

A smug grin on his face, Knox whipped out of the alley and into traffic. A few cars honked and swerved when the black on black muscle car slid into their way, but Knox didn’t care. He had somewhere to be and a certain impatient someone at his side. They were really going to do this, he thought for the first time. Isaac was really going to go with him. He was now responsible for his mate’s life, care, welfare. Even if Isaac was mad as hell, acting tough right now, he was very, very vulnerable.

Knox swallowed hard at the thought of his innocent mate in his care—a life he had to protect. Making an actual commitment beyond sex was something that had crossed his mind, but he never really thought about it in depth. Being mated, that was usually a given, but the emotional side of things was more important now than ever. If Isaac was truly going to offer himself to Knox in that way, did he really understand what all that entailed? What Knox truly wanted?

“I’m sorry,” Knox blurted. He cringed, keeping his eyes on traffic—wishing the exit to freedom was closer than it was.

“You’re sorry?” Isaac snorted.

Isaac folded his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his shins. “My entire life I’ve wanted you to just… I don’t know, but I wanted it. You pushed me away so hard, that at times, I truly felt like I was going to die. I guess my body knew better than me, because there came a time when I stopped letting you push me and started to push back. I don’t know how I did it, but I knew I had to. Now I know why. I can’t help but feel cheated now. I’ve spent so much of my life pining over you.”

“You don’t think I can feel your pain, Isaac? Every time I called you worthless to hide my secret or abused you, I felt it. At first it was just in your eyes, that sad look that tore me to pieces. Then I started to feel it.  I know how badly I treated you and yes, I was selfish in every way possible.” Knox cut in front of three lanes of traffic to make his exit. The honks and revs of engines made no difference to him. “You don’t know the other side of things—the side that did care all along. Did you know that I put Reese’s in your lunch every day until you graduated high school?”

Isaac’s face fell. He had always thought it was Maggie who did that. He’d hated school lunch and she’d been the one to pack his stuff every morning because he was lazy. The Reese’s had been his favorite part of the day. He’d save them for the ride home after he got a little older—reveling in the small tradition that he took for granted.

“More than once a week, I came to check on you when you were sleeping, after you started having those bad dreams in middle school. I—”

“I thought it was my da. He would rub my back until I went back to sleep.” Isaac folded in on himself further.

“No, it was me.” Knox hit the gas as he merged onto the new interstate heading northeast out of the city—deciding the skip the interstate drive all together. “Open the glove box.”

“Why?” Isaac asked sheepishly.

“Just do it.”

Slowly, Isaac flipped open the glove compartment. Staring back at him was his blade he had never wanted to look at again—the blade he had used to kill Omar. It was cleaned, glinting blue in the lights from the dash.

“Why do you have this?” Isaac trembled, picking up the weapon.

“Because I had it made for you. I knew one day you would want it back and I liked having it around until you decided you did.” Knox’s heart thumped hard at the revelation. Isaac had stilled next to him, an innocent look of awe on his face. “I had given one to Jaska for his birthday because Yuri suggested he wanted one like mine. You were jealous and your dad got mad at me. Remember that?”

“Yes,” Isaac whispered.

“Yours was already being made, but it took longer. It was more special and I wanted it to be just right. Blaze worked hours on the handle, but I wanted to do the detailing myself. I never made anyone else one after yours. I only made Jaska’s because Yuri paid me.”

Tears pricked Isaac’s eyes as he held up the handle to see it closer—his name intricately laid within the metal. “But you said I wasn’t any good with a blade.”

“I thought having something like that might give you a little more confidence. Maybe not in training, but you used it well when the time was right.”

“Omar,” Isaac answered. “When he—”

“I don’t want to talk about him, Isaac.” Knox’s grip on the wheel went white knuckled. “I know you loved him or whatever, but I’m… I’m glad he’s dead.”

“I never loved him. I might have thought I did at the time. But he was only my first—”

“Stop! I don’t want to hear any more.” Knox ground his teeth together, willing his fangs to stay back.

“You were jealous of him, weren’t you? That’s why you hated him so much. I remember that night. You didn’t want me to go with him. It’s weird though, I can’t remember anything after that.”

Knox darted his eyes around nervously. He stayed silent, untrusting of his next words.

“What?” Isaac laid the blade back in the glove compartment carefully, shutting the latch.

“Nothing,” Knox hissed.

It was unlike Knox to stay silent for long. Hadn’t he just said he didn’t want to talk about this? Isaac found an uneasy silence between them. More than just the anger on his part and the hesitant fear of what he was really getting into. Knox knew something that he didn’t. After hearing the small things Knox had done throughout his life, Isaac wondered if he really did care. Chancing, more like hoping he did, Isaac slid his hand onto Knox’s thigh.

“What is it?”

Knox jumped, swerving the car a little before righting it back into the lane. “Don’t touch me. I’m driving.”

“So I can touch you when you’re not driving?”

“I… just sit back and relax, damn it.” Knox kept his eyes on the road. He praised whoever was watching over them when his turn off could be seen up ahead.

“What are you not telling me, Knox?”

“Nothing you want to know.”

“Tell me. Stop playing games with me. You say you’re sorry, well, start talking.”

“You’re only going to work yourself up and that’s not a good idea while we’re driving. It’s unsafe.”

“Okay, da. Fuck! Will everyone stop treating me like a fucking child for once! I am an adult for crying out loud.”

“Stop screaming,” Knox commanded. “Or I will this car over and—”

“And what? Isaac’s cock rose to attention. The thought of Knox climbing over the center console to punish him aroused him all over again.

One whiff of Isaac’s arousal and Knox groaned. Close quarters, too close, he cringed. “And you can get out. I’ll leave you there.”

“No, you won’t.” Isaac’s face determined, he crossed his arms over his knees. “Now tell me. I promise not to scream if you start talking to me like an adult.”

“I have another two hours to drive, Isaac. I won’t sit in a car with a brat for the entire time. If I tell you, you have to swear to behave yourself. You can slap me or whatever when we get there.”

“Two hours? Where the hell are we going?” Isaac balked.

Knox cut his eyes, swirling with heat, at his mate. “It’s a secret. Now swear to me.”

No other choice but to comply, Isaac nodded. “Fine, I swear. Do we need to lock pinkies or something?” He rolled his eyes.

The vampire snorted. “No, smart ass, we don’t.”

“Get on with it then.”

“Fine.” Knox took a deep breath. “You and I were fighting the night Omar found us in the hall.”

“Yeah,” Isaac whispered with the memory. Even a little fuzzy, he remembered Knox’s hands on his body. The possessive way the vampire had forbid him from seeing Omar.

“Things got out of hand. Omar acted all hurt and shit. He left us there and you got upset, started crying. I… I couldn’t take it.”

“Me crying?” Isaac looked at Knox’s strong profile.

“Yes,” Knox hissed. “I didn’t want you going to him. I couldn’t see you like that. I knew. I just knew Omar was bad news and you were so upset. I kissed you.”

“What?” Isaac stared at the blue grow of the dashboard. “I don’t remember that. I would’ve remembered that, Knox.”

“No, you wouldn’t have, because I made you forget it.”

“You’re lying. Swiping our memories is forbidden. Not even you would’ve done that.”

“I did, Isaac. You weren’t eighteen yet. You were so upset. It was all too much for you to handle. They would have killed me. I would have never seen you again.”

“You made me forget?” Isaac repeated to himself. “Or is it you that wanted to forget?” His bottom lip trembled, tears on the way.

Knox saw the chance to pull over—a carpool lot off the highway. He took the sharp turn. Isaac slapped his hands out for support as the car screeched into the lot and slammed to a stop. Knox unbuckled his mate’s seat belt and pulled Isaac into his lap—kicking the seat back as far as it would go. His lips crushed Isaac’s, melting the human into his chest—a pile of mushy limbs as his body gave in.

Hands in Isaac’s hair, one molding to his back, Knox stabbed his tongue into his mate’s mouth to wipe the evil question away. With a swipe of his hand, Knox cupped Isaac’s ass—forcefully bringing his mate’s hips to his swollen erection. Isaac’s slender legs ground hard in invitation—gasping when the rock hard arousal met his own, even with their clothing.

“You think I want to forget you?” Knox hissed into Isaac’s mouth. “Can never forget you,” he slurred, biting Isaac’s bottom lip—sucking it into his mouth.

“Wanted you so bad,” Knox choked—Isaac’s tongue cutting off his words momentarily. “Still want you.”

“Take me,” Isaac moaned. “Fuck it all. I need you,” he gasped the words.

Satisfied with the answering grinds of Isaac’s body, the needy breaths from his mate’s mouth, Knox used every inch of his self-control and pushed Isaac back into his seat awkwardly.

“What… what the fuck?” Isaac flailed to sit up correctly, wide eyes on Knox.

“And you’ll have me. But first, we have places to be.”

“Are you serious! You’re fucking crazy.” Isaac’s dick leaked in his thong. The urge to thrust his hands inside was maddening.

“I’ve been called worse. And plus—” Knox cut his eyes to Isaac, narrowing them with a growl. “I like it when you’re angry.”

“You’re such a freak,” Isaac growled back.

“And so are you. We’re two peas in a pod.” Knox slipped his seatbelt back on with a shit eating grin. “You are the one who’s going to beg for it, Isaac Hightower. Not me.”

Isaac screamed through his teeth, thumping back against his seat. “I hate you.”

“No you don’t. You love it.” Knox geared it into drive and took off to their secret destination; Orange popsicles on his mind the entire time.

Somewhere in his renewed hatred of all things Knox, Isaac fell asleep. The bumpy road underneath and the soothing sound of Knox’s voice woke him up. He opened his eyes to tiny slits, concentrating on the words Knox was saying into his cell.

“You have everything ready then, all the stuff on the list?” Knox zipped around the gated road. “Good. We’ll be there in about ten minutes. I’m just heading into downtown now.”

Even through his lashes, Isaac recognized where they were. The rocky cliffs and the crashing sounds of waves even over the hum of the car—they were heading for the Wharf. Stunned, Isaac sat up.

“I gotta go, but, uh—thanks,” Knox muttered. He ended the call and tossed the phone in the console.

Yawning, Isaac looked over at his mate. His mate, he repeated in his mind. He and his mate were headed for the Wharf. There was only one place they could be going—his parent’s property. This was a bad idea, being surrounded by his family’s stuff while Knox and he… oh no.

“We can’t go to the house. That’s really fucking weird.” Isaac shied away into the door.

Knox rolled his eyes. “We aren’t going there. Do you think I’m that stupid? And besides, your parents would know in an instant where we were and who you were with. Nina has guards staying there just in case the place is compromised again.”

“Again?” Isaac looked over. “What do you mean?”

Knox frowned. Hadn’t Cade told his son about any of this? “Yeah, back when we first met your da, he had this ex who was a complete shit for brains. The guy, Damon I think his name was, got mixed up with Nina’s brother and came after your fathers. Well, I think he was just after your da to begin with. He tried to kidnap your uncle Dan in the process, to get to your da, but D—” Knox chuckled. “D booked it to the house, one big hot mess of blonde, and voila, he too got mixed up in the world of vampires. We had all been staying there to help your da when he turned. It was some real crazy shit back then.”

“They never told me about that stuff,” Isaac murmured. “They only tell me about the house when talking about my grandparents. I think they tried to make the place about good memories instead of bad. But my dad had a crazy ex?” He grinned, thrilled that he got to hear about parents before he came along.

“Oh yeah, dude was insane. He thought that if Thomas threw him a bone and he made good of it, he was going to be something special on the enemy side. Only wanted power and money, as do they all. Your da gave it to him good though. I’ll never forget that night.”

“What did he do?” Isaac sat up again with interest.

“Your pop had been shot in the back and your da had to turn him after he… died.”

“What?” The thought of his pop dying squeezed at his heart. He couldn’t even imagine that kind of pain.

“Relax, everything went okay obviously.” Knox smiled. “Your pop had just eased into the last stages of the turn when they brought Damon back to the house. Cade couldn’t wait to kill the son of a bitch. I didn’t get to see it in person, but that was some kind of execution. Let me tell ya. Your Gran showed it to us on her phone later and it was still something to behold, even on that little screen. He stabbed the dude in the dick.” Knox shuddered.

“Okay, whoa. Gran took a video of it? That’s crazy and my dad stabbed some dude in the… that’s not right.” Isaac chuckled.

“Your Gran can be a little crazy at times. I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing her in action on more than a few occasions. She’s lethal when she needs to be, and yeah, totally agreed on the stabbing thing. But that was just the appetizer to what he served up to Damon. He shoved his blade down the guy’s throat like it was a circus act and cut out his fangs. Probably still has them somewhere too.”

The little lights of downtown sparked Isaac’s attention. He grinned out the window with the familiarity of the place. Coming back here always felt like home.

“I’ve never really seen my da in action like that. They always hide that stuff from me like I can’t take it or something. I mean, I’ve seen him train, but never on the field. And now that you mention it, I guess I can picture Gran being a secret freak. She’s always like one step ahead of us, smart. I guess she can be lethal too.”

“She is always one step ahead. She knew that you were mine a long time ago. Almost kicked my ass on more than one occasion.” Knox sighed. If they were being honest with each other, now that he had Isaac to himself, he’d rather let it all out. “Don’t be mad at her though. I made her keep the secret too. So if you want to blame someone, blame me.”

Isaac let the truth sink in. He thought about it and decided he’d had enough anger for one night. “I’m not mad, Knox. I was, because it hurt. I won’t lie and say it didn’t hurt to know that you hid that for so long, but honestly? I knew. Somehow I knew it from the beginning and I did push you back which probably only made it worse. I admit that it had to be hard for you, but you didn’t have to be that way. You know?”

“I’m so sorry, Izzy. I really am.” Knox stared out the windshield. His mate’s acceptance warmed his heart. Even under all his tough exterior and badass personality, he had a heart for the man sitting next to him. “It was just so hard to look at you every day and not run to you, not hold you when you fell down or the others picked on you. I just wanted to stomp on them and make you feel better. I wanted to wring those guy’s necks that put their hands on you, stole your attentions from me. I wanted to—”

“Knox?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s okay now. I get it.”

“Do you, because you were kind of upset back back there. Granted, I was trying to make you angry enough to call me out. I kind of have a thing for that, but—”

Isaac rolled his eyes. “Of course you were. Should’ve known, but no. I can’t be angry anymore. Scared a little of us? Yes. But not angry.”

“I won’t hurt you, Isaac.”

“I know. Not like that, but I know what you want,” he whispered.

“I don’t just want that, the sex part. That would only make us lovers and we’re not just that. We’re mates, Isaac. Do you know what that means?”

“That twenty years from now we’ll be fighting for the remote and wearing sweatpants every time we leave the house,” Isaac joked.

Knox couldn’t help but laugh. “It’ll be a cold day in hell before I have a closet full of sweatpants. Seriously though, I’ve had a long time to watch the others around me. The way they trust each other, their bond, the love and all that—it’s some pretty serious business.”

“You’re a pretty serious person. I think you can manage.” Isaac was growing fond of this new side of Knox. The one that could hold an adult conversation with him, make feel like an equal instead of a child.

“It means you have to trust me to protect you. It means you have to confide your problems in me, not Nan or the others. It means we are the only ones who will ever touch each ever again. It means I view you as my partner in all things—down to the bills and the choice of china. You get what I’m saying?”

“It means you’re the place where I fit in,” Isaac said out loud the thought he’d held back the entire time.

Knox wanted to close his eyes, revel in his mate’s words and the satisfaction wafting off of Isaac. He wanted to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness for all the wrongs he’d ever bestowed on his beautiful mate. But he knew they’d have time for that later. He would make Isaac feel the love he’d felt the entire time. Isaac was now his to cherish.

“And you I,” Knox whispered. Isaac’s small hand slipped over his thigh and he rumbled his approval.

They made the last turn down a private drive. “This isn’t the house. This is the private cabin. I’ve only ever been here a couple of times. The company uses it for clients.”

“Not tonight they don’t. I got the keys from Maggie.” Knox smiled. Another car was turning around to head back out onto the road from the cabin. He rolled down his window with a grateful smile.

The car stopped and did the same. Isaac sat open mouthed at the other driver—Blaze.

“Everything is good. The keys are on the front table and the heat is on. I’ll catch you guys later.” Blaze nodded. He never thought he’d see the day where Knox and Isaac sat in the same vehicle. As pained and jealous as he might be to not have something like that for himself, Blaze was a good person, a better friend to Knox than a lover.

“Blaze?” Isaac whispered. A welling jealousy built inside of him.

“Thanks man. I really appreciate this.” Knox felt Isaac’s tension, grabbed his hand with a squeeze of reassurance.

“No problem. I got to get out here. I got my shift in the city tomorrow, so I’m just going to crash at Oliver’s.” Blaze avoided Isaac’s crazed eyes. “I’m glad you finally got your act together, Knox. You’re one lucky son of a bitch.”

Isaac’s grimace fell. He frowned a little, wondering if he’d heard that correctly. He didn’t get the chance to question Blaze because the redhead sped off into the night, leaving him alone with his mate once more.

“I know what you’re thinking and yeah, it’s my fault that you’re thinking it. But it’s not true. Okay, there were a few times that we whatever, but it wasn’t like that. We were lonely and shit just happened. I want you to know that so we don’t ever get any wires crossed. It won’t ever happen again and I don’t want you to doubt that. You’re it for me, Isaac,” Knox rushed.

“Okay.” Isaac nodded in a daze, relaxing back into his seat for the last leg of the drive. “Promise?”

“I swear.” Knox knew his mate was going somewhere else in his head and for once, he wanted to give him attention, to make him feel the truth. In his first act of intimacy, he raised Isaac’s hand and kissed the inside of his palm.

Shivering at the gesture, Isaac looked to Knox. The butterflies in his stomach were flying around. The man next to him dangerous yet suddenly caring touched him more than Knox could ever know.

“I’m sick of this car. How about we get inside?” Knox grinned.

Isaac nodded, noticing Knox hadn’t let go of his hand as they pulled up in front of the cabin. Getting out was a slow process. Stretching his legs, realizing it was really fucking cold outside and working himself up over what was about to happen, didn’t help. On the other side, Knox wasn’t about to poke around all night. He wanted to get inside, get Isaac warmed up. He wanted to lay Isaac out in bed and torture him to a pile of mush. Though he knew he’d have to work Isaac slowly, introduce him to his sexual tastes gently at first.

Isaac let Knox lead him inside of the cabin, shivering as the door was locked, dead-bolted—securing them. The warmth of the place, the smell of old wood and leather made him feel right at home though. He immediately sought out where Knox had gone—disappearing from his side seconds ago.

“Come here. You can warm up a little.” Knox gestured to the fireplace which Blaze had set up. Flames flickered, danced inside the brick, bathing Knox in shadows and an orange glow. He couldn’t look more edible if he tried. A throaty growl came from the vampire. The scent of Isaac’s arousal, his want, did things to Knox that he couldn’t explain.

All alone, only the two of them now in a cabin meant to give them their privacy, Isaac became a little nervous. Yes, he wanted Knox so bad, but would he be gentle at first? Would he break him in too fast? Would he finally say what Isaac wanted to hear?

Sensing Isaac’s distress beneath the thick arousal in the air, Knox made the first move. “Come here,” he murmured, taking the room in a few steps to grab his mate’s hand.

Isaac was led to the fireplace. The warmth blanketed him. Hands slid his coat off his shaking body. Knox eased him onto the floor. His body covered Isaac’s back and his fingers played over his boy’s thin arms.

“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered over Isaac’s shoulder.

“I can’t help it. This isn’t some fling, a heavy petting session that will end as quickly as it started. You’re my mate,” Isaac said in awe. “What if I’m not good enough? What if I can’t give you what you want?”

“Isaac,” Knox breathed. “You are so much more than I could have ever dreamed of in a mate. I would never push you farther than you could go. I would never risk losing you now that I finally have you.”

Isaac choked up. This large man at his back was finally giving him what he wanted to hear. Not all of it, but it was a start.

“Fate put us together because we fit perfectly. You and I are compatible in every single way. We just haven’t gotten to it all yet. Don’t let your fear hold you back, Isaac. Just let go and trust me completely.”

“I do trust you.”

“Then show me. Show me the man that I crave so badly it hurts. Show me that unwavering strength that draws me to you. Show me yourself, Isaac.” Knox’s fangs dropped in his mouth. His hands pulled Isaac’s hips up to his, grinding against his mate slowly.

Head falling back against Knox, Isaac moaned. “Tell me you love me. Please.”

The vampire tilted his mate’s head to meet his eyes. “No one will ever love you like I do.”

Isaac turned in his mate’s embrace, locking his boots over Knox’s thick thighs. He clung to the vampire’s neck. His lips inched closer. His eyes unsure yet ready at the same time. Knox grabbed Isaac’s ass, lifting him higher, gripping him tight to his erection.

“Do you feel what you do to me?” Knox hissed between his fangs. “So fucking sexy.”

Isaac moaned. He licked at Knox’s lips, painting them wet with his desire. Capturing that tongue with his mouth, Knox sucked it deep inside, fisting a hand in Isaac’s hair. His mate began to grind against him. The muscles of his bare ass clenched then released under Knox’s hand.

“Dance for me,” Knox growled. “Only for me.”

Biting his lip, whimpering at the loss of Knox’s mouth, Isaac leaned back to give his mate a full view of his body. He rolled his hips in a circle. The lean muscles of his stomach stretched for Knox as Isaac dug his boots into the soft carpet to balance himself. A lap dance with no music, Knox watched, controlled himself to the point of pain as Isaac danced.

His hand reached for his mate’s chest, but Isaac gave him a stern look—a flicker of the confident man Knox knew was in there. “Don’t touch. Just watch me.”

Knox couldn’t believe his mate, innocent in so many ways, could move like this. Boldly, his mate planted his hands on the floor behind him. His hips lifted, brushing over Knox’s chest—up and down until Isaac’s erection filled the small leather pouch between his legs.

“Fuck,” Knox growled. “Where did you learn to dance like that?”

Isaac flicked his eyes up from under his dark lashes with a coy smile. “Ceramics.”

Knox barked a laugh, going to touch his mate again. He growled as his hands were smacked away. Isaac slid his legs back over Knox’s thighs with an idea. Knox wanted to see him dance for real? He could do that.

“Stay,” Isaac commanded, bending once he was on his feet. His lips brushed Knox’s before he went for his coat a few feet away.

“Where are you going?” Knox made to push onto his feet.

“Chill out.” Isaac licked his lips. He backed into the corner with the small stereo system while digging for his phone in his coat. He plugged it into the docking station and hit play.

Knox raised a brow, a smug smile on his face. He knew what was going down now. He sat back on the carpet, splaying his fingers into the carpet with his legs spread. A heavy bass, very dirty music pounded through the cabin. The beat reflected the mood the vampire was in—ready to devour.

Isaac drew his confidence from the way Knox looked at him. Holy shit was it hot, those eyes swirling just for him. His hips started to sway just a little, but his hands spoke to Knox—the vampire following the trail they created over his chest. They smoothed down his thighs, toying with the top straps of his boots until they slipped from the buckles.

Clenching the carpet harder, Knox watched Isaac dip to the ground mere feet away. His mate licked his lips, salty tears from hours ago washed from the corners of his mouth. Black eyeliner streaked down the corner of Isaac’s eyes. It was official, Knox thought, his mate was the devil. A fucking tease with a body to kill, Isaac made him harder than anyone ever had before.

To show his appreciation, Knox narrowed his eyes while his hand slid inside the top of his leathers. He watched Isaac follow his hand’s path with a shudder. “Take it all off for me, Isaac,” he rasped. “Show me all of that beautiful body.”

His dick hard as rock in his thong, Isaac did as he was told with style. He reached behind and pulled the ties at the top of his boots. They gave way, folding down his legs. Thigh highs in a sheer black were revealed. Knox growled, flipping onto his knees, clinging to the carpet for all he was worth. He had heard Isaac reveal he was into lingerie during the fight with Cage, but this? Holy Christ was Isaac pushing his buttons.

“More,” he snarled.

Isaac dipped to the ground again. His thumbs hooked in the straps around his hips, he ground lower into the floor until leather met carpet for a few seconds.  Pushing with his toes, he fell back onto his heels and gyrated back to standing. He turned, following the straps with his thumbs back to his ass—giving Knox one hell of a view.

The vampire fisted his cock in his leathers, squeezed then stroked until his hand was coated. “Take it off, damn it!” His fangs cut his lips. He licked the blood away, teetering on the edge of sanity. “Or I’ll take it off for you.”

“You don’t touch me until I say so,” Isaac teased over his shoulder. His blue eyes narrowed at Knox as he slipped the thong down his hips slowly, spreading his legs. “You like what you see, Knox?”

“You know I do.” Knox removed his hand from his cock, spreading it out onto the carpet. He pulled one shin across the floor, another hand in front of him—crawling like a lion on the prowl.

Isaac ran a lone finger down the crack of his ass, throwing his head back as he felt warm breath on the back of his thigh. He left the thong around his hips as his foot was lifted off the ground. His boot yanked off, thrown across the room. The other followed quickly, leaving two massive hands running up the dark seam of the stocking material. Thumbs outlined the bottom of his rounded ass cheeks, spreading them just a bit before letting go to squeeze the fleshy globes hard.

Isaac threw his hands against the wall for support. He’d teased Knox too much. The vampire was ready to do this. He’d been ready for years, but now it was time. Isaac was all his and he was damn well about to eat him right up. He nipped his fangs into the round flesh of Isaac’s ass. His mate gasped, curling his fingers against the wall.

Isaac’s arousal exploded like a bomb, sweaty yet sweet, no scent with a true description. He wanted more and Knox was willing to test his mate—see if he could really handle the pain. Slowly, Knox sang his fangs into Isaac’s ass. Eyes wide, Isaac moaned, stilled to let his mate go deeper.

“Yes,” Isaac whimpered the word.

Knox’s bite flooded him with pleasure. He could only remember one other time that Knox had bit him. Back when he was little, he’d saved Knox’s life. He would never forget that feeling. This time though, it was okay to give in to the euphoria the way he wanted. This time it was about passion, not saving a life.

Knox resisted taking blood from Isaac. He didn’t want his mate to tire too quickly with blood loss or go over the edge before he was ready. The vampire pulled his fangs back, watching tiny drops of blood well over creamy skin. He shifted his knees, bringing the opposite cheek to his mouth while smoothing a hand up Isaac’s trembling spine.

Licking the skin under his mouth, Knox brought his fangs down again. Harder than last time, he allowed Isaac to feel the pain as he should. The prick, the sinking feeling of Knox’s fangs made Isaac cry out—put his face against the wall, letting go. It felt so good, too good. His ass ground against Knox’s mouth. The sting of the fangs in his flesh was intoxicating.

A hand smoothed from his hip to his groin, making Isaac jump. Knox lifted his mouth, swiping the blood away with his tongue. He let the taste roll around his mouth with a rumble of satisfaction. Completely gone to Knox’s touch, Isaac allowed himself to be flipped on the wall. His back thumped against the surface with a thud. Music pounded in his ears, Knox’s hands slid over his stomach, fangs teased the tops of his thigh highs. He was a gone.

The hot breath on his skin moved higher, blowing over his cock even through the leather. Knox flicked dark eyes up at him, the gold bleeding across them until they were unnatural in every way. Isaac shivered at the intentions within them. He wanted it. He wanted to be loved, abused—tortured by his mate. Knox got the message loud and clear. His fangs captured the elastic band around the leather and pulled down.

Isaac felt the heat of the fire, Knox’s breath against his bare skin. Every hair on his body rose to attention. The head of his cock was now exposed—leather pulled roughly down his length and under his balls.

“Knox,” he begged. “Please.”

“Are you giving me permission now?” Knox mocked with a cut of his eyes. “You want this, Isaac, all of it?”

“Yes!” Isaac cried as the rest of his thong was ripped from his body. He stood naked before his mate. Never would he show another man his body like this. Never again would he want to.

Knox stood, rising to his full height—towering above his mate in a show of dominance. He fisted Isaac’s long hair around his hand, gripping it to bend his mate’s neck in a show of submission. His lips brushed briefly over Isaac’s, letting him know that he cared. Before Isaac knew it, those lips were gone and his body was being lifted onto Knox’s.

“Then it’s time we finished this.”

Knox took the short hallway to the bedroom in seconds. He slammed the door shut and flung his mate onto the sheets. A sea of black silk flooded around his creamy skinned creature. Chains hung from the iron work around the ceiling, attracting Isaac’s attention. He knew Blaze had to have set this up. But wasn’t there a list he’d been given? Isaac shivered at the thought of more than chains. He gulped, but didn’t have time to stare. Knox’s boots being tossed onto the floor stole his breath. His mate climbed onto the bed in skin tight leather pants and a thin black T, grabbing at his legs until he was pulled across the sheets.

“Last chance, Isaac. Once you say yes, you’re mine.” Knox rolled his body over Isaac, claiming him with his scent.

“I want you.” Isaac reached up to caress Knox’s cotton covered chest. “I—”

He thought about the videos he’d watched, the books, the research on dominant males and slaves. He knew Knox didn’t want a slave, but the relationship was the same in some ways. He had to trust Knox completely to let him bind him to the bed and do whatever he wanted. He had to give the vampire his body, his mind to let this work.

“I submit to you completely.” Isaac sprawled out under Knox. He put his hands above his head, wrist over wrist in a show of faith.  “I’m yours, my mate.”

“Fuck,” Knox roared. His hand locked over Isaac’s wrists, pinning him there with all his strength. His muscles slid under his skin like a predator. His tattoos rippled with every move.

Isaac tried to keep still for Knox. But when his mate’s mouth locked over his armpit, that tongue going nuts on his sweaty skin, his hips rose from the bed and a cry ripped from his mouth. Fangs dragged over the hollowed skin, stinging pain made his eyes roll. Knox growled. His hips meshed to Isaac’s, pushing him back into the bed with a slow slide of cock against cock. He needed to free himself of the leather confining him. He needed skin to skin to release the beast completely.

His attentions worked over to the other pit, drinking in Isaac’s sweat much like a cold beer after a long day—only better. Elated that Isaac was a squirming mess, he licked up the line of his mate’s neck. Another small kiss of reassurance on Isaac’s neck before Knox grabbed the chain above Isaac’s head.

This is it, Isaac shivered into the bed. He closed his eyes as a thick leather strap wrapped around one of his wrists, pulling tight and buckling into place. Knox yanked on the chain to make sure it was tight enough before doing the other wrist. When Isaac’s arms were completely immovable to either side of his head, Knox sat back to study his mate’s face.

“Okay?” He rasped, petting his mate’s chest to get an answer.

“Yes,” Isaac whispered because it was all he could say.

He wasn’t scared of Knox. He was scared he wouldn’t be able to handle it all. He was about ready to release just from looking at his mate. He wanted to reach out and trace the tattoo around Knox’s hairline. He wanted to brush his fingers through those long blue bangs hanging over one eye. He wanted to lick the sweat from Knox’s neck—to please him in any way possible.

Knox felt the need from Isaac—the need to pleasure him. The vampire smiled, leaning down to whisper to his mate. “Just looking at you, knowing you trust me with all your heart. That pleasures me.” Knox kissed Isaac's neck before rising again.

Biting his lip to hold in the blazing smile, Isaac groaned. He released his lip. “Tighter,” he told his mate, pulling the slack on the chain. “I want it tighter.”

“You’ll have marks if I tighten them.” Knox cocked his head to study Isaac.

“I want to be marked,” Isaac returned. His chest heaved and fell with every breath. “Make them tighter.”

“You are such a freak,” Knox growled with hunger.

“And I’m your freak.” Isaac lifted his hips to brush Knox’s body. The vampire slid down to adjust the cuffs, sliding a knee between Isaac’s legs for him to grind on. The heat through his leathers from his mate’s cock was enough to make his task quick.

“You’ve got no idea how much you turn me on.” Knox nipped Isaac’s shoulder before pulling back. Moving down to Isaac’s ankles, he pulled the chains down. The cuffs attached to Isaac tight like he wanted, Knox pulled the other end of the chain, lifting his mate’s ass off the bed.

Isaac felt himself being exposed—his entrance on display as his ass rose into the air, his legs stretched to each corner of the bed. He could barely see Knox moving around at the end of the bed, his ankles secured and hanging from open iron canopy above. He felt the weight of his mate disappear from the bed. Isaac whimpered.

Knox went to the dresser by the window. He eyed the cloth covering the items underneath. Thanking Blaze silently, he pulled the covering back to stare at his toys. A dark smile lit up his swirling eyes. His hands came away with a few things before he approached the bed again.

He laid the whip down on the bed. A long black handle wrapped in leather gave way to a collection of small leather tendrils. It was mild compared to what he was used to, but they’d work their way up. Tonight was about easing Isaac into what he liked, testing his boundaries.

The other item was a thin chord of braided leather. A little over a foot in length, it was begging to be wrapped around Isaac tightly. So, kneeling between Isaac’s open legs, Knox brushed his nose over the musky scent of his mate’s entrance, up under his balls with a flick of his tongue to distract. He brought the cord around Isaac’s body, slipped it under his balls before he made a loop and pulled.

Isaac hissed as the base of his balls and cock were tightly captured. He tried to lift his head, but it was difficult in this position. Instead, he tried to relax into the feeling of leather being carefully wrapped around his base then weaved around just his cock—separating his sensitive balls from his shaft. Once Knox was finished, he stroked Isaac’s length. It twitched under his hand, leaked onto his fingers. The head pointed straight at Isaac now. His mate’s testicles had already begun to turn red under the pressure of the cord.

Raising his hand to his mouth, Knox licked his boy’s flavor from his fingers. He groaned, closing his eyes. He couldn’t wait to taste Isaac’s release later. But right now, he had other plans.

“I can’t wait to make you scream.” Knox looked down at Isaac.

Isaac couldn’t reply. His body was on fire with lust for his mate. Being completely strung up, not being able to touch himself or Knox was so erotic he could barely stand it. His cock dripped onto his stomach—each warm bead making him shiver as it hit the skin. Knox’s hot breath blew over his entrance for good measure and he finally squirmed against his restraints.

“How does it feel, knowing I control your pleasure, your pain?” Knox hissed to his mate.

Glancing up, Isaac could only open his mouth to try and speak, but no words would come. He had never been so turned on in his life.

“Yeah, you like it.” Knox grabbed hold of Isaac’s leg and licked the exposed sole of Isaac’s stocking covered foot, watching his mate struggle even more. Choked cries from Isaac. “Just wait. We haven’t even started. In fact, I could just leave you here if I wanted,” he teased.

“No!” Isaac finally gasped. “Please, no.”

Knox laughed, baring his fangs. He sucked the big toe into his mouth, biting down a little—tasting his mate’s sweat. His eyes stared at Isaac—the human relaxing into the bed, gyrating his ass in the air in time with the warm suction on his foot.

“Relax,” Knox whispered as he released the foot from his mouth. “I’m not going anywhere. I am kind of hungry though. How do you feel about sweets?” The vampire narrowed his eyes, something mischievous behind them.

“I like sweets,” Isaac answered weakly. His throat felt like sandpaper already.

“Then you’re going to love this.” Knox went to the mini fridge at the bar in the corner and pulled open the small freezer. He came away with a wrapped treat. A trail of fog like wisps swirled into the air as he waved it at Isaac. “In fact, if I’m not mistaken. I think this is your favorite.”

Isaac watched his mate peel back the white wrapper to reveal an orange popsicle. Eyes fixated on his mate, Knox sucked the flavored ice into his mouth—wrapping his lips around it slowly. He hummed in delight, teasing Isaac as he approached the bed again. Popping off the treat, he smiled wickedly.

“You were right. I found I did like popsicles after all.”

“What are you doing?” Isaac frowned. His frown turned to a cry, his hips bucking off the bed.

Knox traced the tip of the frozen ice down his mate’s inner thigh, watching the sticky orange leave a trail across the thigh highs for him to lick off later. “What’s the matter, Isaac? I thought you liked these.”

“Fuck!” Isaac thrashed his head. The popsicle neared his swollen testicles and he started to pant heavily. “Oh God!”

“You can pray all you want, but that’s not going to stop me.” Knox outlined Isaac’s balls with the treat—every muscle in Isaac’s body flexing in shock. “Hmm, does that feel good?”

The frozen ice against his skin was like a full body meltdown—the feeling of ice against a terrible sunburn, but no control over where it went. His limbs were tied to the bed. His head swam as his cock beat against his stomach every time he moved. It was torture, the most glorious, sinful kind of torture Isaac had ever known.

“I can feel how much you love it.” Knox sucked the sweet orange flavor from the inside of Isaac’s thigh, moving up—careful to avoid touching his groin with his mouth, teasing yet again. “I bet you’ll like it even more here.”

Sliding the ice down, Knox hovered over his mate’s entrance. He inhaled the musky scent one last time before the sugary juice dripped down, mingling with Isaac’s smell. Isaac hissed—the popsicle met his skin, putting pressure on his entrance. Stinging a little, dripping juice down his ass, but more importantly making his cock leak like a faucet.

“Holy shit,” he swore as Knox twisted the popsicle a few times. It never entered him, but he could feel his tight muscle trying to give way. “Knox!”

“Mm,” Knox hummed. He pulled the ice away for a second, running the flat of his tongue from the top of his mate’s ass, over his hole to the bottom of his balls. Juice flowed over his tongue. He swallowed it back immediately. “Now that is a popsicle.”

“Knox,” Isaac whined.

“What’s the matter, Izzy? You don’t like to be teased?” Knox moved around the bed, trailing the ice over any skin he could. He reached Isaac’s nipples and grinned. “Or are you mad that I’m not sharing? Because you like to share as I recall.”

“Bastard,” Isaac hissed. The popsicle encircled his nipples one by one. His hands went rigid in their restraints.

“Calling your mate names?” Knox shook his head.

He bent down, laid the ice against Isaac’s stomach and took a nipple in his mouth—biting down without warning. Isaac bucked. A hand smacked his exposed ass so hard it brought tears to his eyes. But he loved it. The sting on his skin, the ice crippling his senses over his stomach, Knox’s fangs flooding him with out-of-this world bliss—all of it.

Licking the blood clean and the orange flavoring off Isaac’s chest, Knox propped himself up. “Didn’t your daddies teach you manners little boy? You’ve got such a dirty mouth.”

“I’m sorry,” Isaac whimpered. “I didn’t mean it.” He played along. He liked Knox overpowering him, talking to him like this. He wanted more of the sharp pain. He wanted—

Knox stared hard at his mate. He searched his eyes, felt the arousal still there and moved on. “Let’s play a little game.” He picked up the popsicle once more. More like what was left of it. “Every time you make a noise, I get to spank you three times—however I want. If you swear, it will be five times, harder than that last time. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Isaac uttered.

What was he going to do now? His wrists and ankles were burning from all the struggling. His ass stung, his entrance still felt frozen. His balls were on fire. His cock was so stiff he felt like it was going to explode. His nipple was swollen from Knox’s bite as were his ass cheeks. God, if this was what happened before sex. He wasn’t sure he would last for the real deal. But he was sure as hell going to try.

“Good—very, good.” Knox walked to the end of the bed, bending down to press a long deep kiss to Isaac’s balls in reward.

Isaac bit his lip to keep from screaming. He wasn’t sure he knew what Knox meant by however he wanted to spank him. But he knew his mate had planned on him screaming when the ice swirled around the head of his cock, making him bend his head back with a howled curse. The popsicle gently slid down between his legs, falling to his stomach where it proceeded to drip down the sides.

Leather brushed the cheeks of his ass—small strands that made Isaac flinch. “I’ll let you count it out. To five for that one,” Knox growled.

Isaac gasped. The strips of the short whip dangled in his Knox’s hand. This was what he meant by however he wanted to. Shit, Isaac swallowed. His mate swung the handle around in a circle. Heated eyes trained on Isaac’s ass, he let the whip smack against the left cheek.

“One,” Isaac screamed. It hurt. It really fucking hurt. But as the small strips of leather ran over the sting, he found himself wanting more. His knees pulled a little closer to his chest. Isaac licked his lips.

Knox caught the look with a growl. He pulled back. A snarl trembled his lip as he gave the other cheek a lashing. Isaac’s whole body tensed, somehow trying to free the shock of the delicious pain. White hot, blazing—he almost couldn’t feel the burn he’d been whipped so hard, at least for a few seconds.

“Two,” Isaac hissed.

Knox saw the determination on Isaac’s face. He rubbed a soothing hand over the small nest of red lines surfacing. Before Isaac could relax though, he brought the whip down again and again—the three remaining lashes over before Isaac could count.

“Five,” Isaac wheezed. Tears ran down his face, his own juices now mingled around his neck. He was so stimulated, he wasn’t sure he was breathing anymore.

Knox had never seen anything so beautiful. He rubbed Isaac’s ass, kneading the fleshy globes to take some of the sting out. When Isaac relaxed again—the popsicle melted to his stomach—Knox bathed his mate with his tongue. Isaac moaned, letting the vampire soothe the ache of his lower body. He felt his mate’s mouth hot on his entrance, quickly moving to his balls—sucking them into his mouth in reward.

Isaac wanted to touch Knox. He wanted to slide his hands into that blue hair tenderly to let him know that he was okay. Everything was fine. Hell, he was better than fine now that he could feel the air returning to his lungs. But he wanted more. He wanted to feel Knox penetrate him for the first time, his first time. He wanted Knox to let go completely.

“Soon,” Knox whispered against Isaac’s cock. “Just a little longer. I’ve waited so long for this.”

“There will be other times, Knox.” Isaac closed his eyes at the sight of Knox running his lips over his length.

“But not like this.” Knox slid off the bed. He walked around so Isaac could see what he was doing. He wanted to see those eyes when he stood naked before his mate—the reaction, the arousal it would cause.

Swallowing back his need, Isaac watched Knox slip leather through his belt buckle. The strap pulled through the loops slowly before it clinked to the floor. Knox’s shirt pulled over his head to reveal muscles so sculpted Isaac would surely pass out if only from the sight. This man, this god like man, was now his? It didn’t seem right. It was too good to be true.

Inhaling that sweet and salty scent, Knox growled. “You like what you see, my mate?”

“Yes.” Isaac trembled.

“Do you wish to see the rest?”

“Please,” Isaac begged.

Satisfied, Knox unbuttoned his leathers and pushed them down. The reveal of Knox’s skin, a dark patch of hair that differed from his head, the hollows that met muscle under his hips was mouth-watering. But the most wonderful sight of all was the cock settled between his mate’s massive thighs. Thick, veiny, red like his own—Isaac wanted to swallow it down until he died of suffocation. It would be the perfect death.

Tribal tattoos in dark ink covered his left arm and spread across his chest. Isaac was privy to the most beautiful man in all of creation. He thanked heaven for giving him this gift. Even if they were so different yet so alike, fought like cats and dogs, and were freaks to the end—Isaac loved Knox with all his heart and apparently his body.

The leathers hit the floor. Knox climbed back onto the bed, straddling his mate’s chest, careful not smother him. He rubbed his thighs against Isaac’s soft skin, letting his boy feel every hair and muscle. He rubbed his ass into the sticky orange juice and pre-release of his mate, marking him with his scent yet again. Finally he held his cock in his hand, lowering the stiff member to Isaac’s parted lips.

“Taste me,” he commanded.

Isaac moaned, opening his mouth wide to accept the thick head deep within. Unlike Omar, Knox was big and tasted just right. Like warm ice cream with sea salt, the flavor rolled over his taste buds. He stretched his lips around the inches guided inside, careful to keep his teeth in check. He was no expert, but he just knew Knox would help him along. And he did.

Knox grabbed onto both sides of Isaac’s head, thrusting gently at first. He knew Isaac’s mouth would be heaven. He hadn’t imagined this kind of pleasure though. His mate’s lips were so delicate, his tongue kitten soft, and those eyes! Those blues were so fucking coy and vulnerable that he wanted to scream.

“Deep breath,” he hissed in instruction.

Isaac inhaled oxygen through his nose quickly—all Knox could manage being driven into his throat. He fought like hell to relax. His wrists struggled for escape. Knox controlled his safety, his lack of air, and held his cock there—lodged deep for a count of five at first. Isaac started to choke and Knox pulled back. His boy gasped, panted for a few deep breaths before he fisted a hand in Isaac’s hair.

“Deep breath,” he roared.

Isaac took in all his lungs could handle before Knox rammed into the back of throat. The head lodged past his comfort zone and he was stuck for a count of ten. He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks, saliva leaking from the corners of mouth and chin. He wanted this so bad. He loved the trust he had for his mate. He loved the swollen cock in mouth. God, he was going to come.

“Again!” Knox pulled back and started to thrust in and out. He gripped Isaac’s hair, guiding him along in his quest for pleasure. The sounds of Isaac sucking him back—wet and sloppy—made his grip tighten in his mate’s hair.

The rhythm picked up, but Knox held back. Isaac was human still. He would break his mate if he let go in his throat. He’d choke, suffocate. Knox couldn’t stand the idea and backed off a little. He smeared the head of his cock over Isaac’s glistening lips, allowed his mate to lap his tongue over the slit for a proper taste.

Knox squeezed out a bead of clear fluid onto Isaac’s tongue. “Swallow it. Taste me.”

Isaac closed his eyes and did just that. Knox marked his mate’s neck and chest with cock. His, he growled, all his. He had to move off Isaac to kiss him, to see what he tasted like in Isaac’s mouth. He was too big to meet lip to lip in this position. But when he claimed Isaac’s mouth, the move was worth it. His mate was desperate for his tongue, the affection that a kiss could bring.

Knox gave over to his softer side. He rubbed Isaac’s chest, slid his tongue inside his boy’s mouth—all with a hum of appreciation. He moved down to Isaac’s neck, licking the mess away, savoring the flavor on his tongue.

“You okay?” The vampire managed.

“Don’t stop.” Isaac squirmed “I need you, Knox.”

“Do you know how beautiful you are when you beg?”

Isaac turned away because he couldn’t handle the look in Knox’s eyes. It was too intense to process.

“Your voice, your skin, your scent and those eyes—you make me want to crawl inside of you.”

“I want you inside of me,” Isaac husked. “I feel like I’ll die if you don’t.”

Whatever else Knox had planned, he threw it to the wind. Isaac was right. There would other times. Being with his mate was special enough. He pressed a kiss to Isaac’s mouth one more time before he left his mate’s side.

Not long after, Knox positioned himself over Isaac’s exposed ass. Spurred on by his mate’s want of him, Knox nuzzled his face in Isaac’s ass—scenting, rubbing his mouth and nose in that wonderful aroma. Isaac tried to push back, but again, he was confined. Knox obliged the squirming with a slow lick to Isaac’s entrance. The muscle flexed under his tongue, pushing out in need of something bigger—more filling.

Isaac cried out, screaming Knox’s name when the vampire started to slather his tongue deeper and deeper. Every nerve in his slender body sang in pleasure. He twisted. His wrists and ankles chaffed in pain. He wanted Knox more with every lick and pinch of his teeth. A finger prodded, rubbing slow circles over his hole. Knox’s fangs sank into his flesh quickly before retreating—small bee-sting bites all over his ass as the finger pushed against him.

He’d waited all his adult life for this. Knox pushing inside of him, fingers or cock it didn’t matter. Knox was filling his untouched entrance. He’d saved himself for this moment. Never once using a toy or his own fingers, Isaac had wanted it to be Knox. The image flooded Knox’s mind. He snarled, bit deeper into his boy’s flesh. This time he sucked the blood down his throat—engaging a pure euphoria in Isaac’s body.

Isaac ignored the burn of the finger pushing inside, soon joined by another. He instead focused on the flood of pleasure Knox induced. He felt the blood pulled into his mate, nourishing his body. Isaac marveled that he could give Knox such a gift, even in the height of passion. It made him want to cry so many unsaid things. He wanted to tell Knox what he meant to him, how much he needed him heart, body, and soul. But he clenched his teeth together instead to ride out the pleasure.

Knox drew back, gasping for air. The feelings and images coming from Isaac brought him near tears. Never had someone wanted him like this. Not just for his body, but for everything else. He couldn’t help his sexual tastes, but he wanted to be less of an asshole just for his mate. He wanted to weep with apologies. Say he was sorry for all the wrongs he had ever begrudged on Isaac.

Instead of speaking, he pulled his fingers from Isaac, feeling them slip out with ease. A few quick moves and the chains above pooled into a pile of cool steel over Isaac’s feet. Only his wrists remained locked in place. With his knew freedom, Isaac dug his feet into the bed on a sigh. Knox giving him this little bit meant so much more than words. Bending down, Knox stole Isaac’s breath with a kiss. Opening his mouth he accepted his mate’s tongue yet again. He’d never get enough.

He knew it was time, the time to lose the last of his innocence, when Knox pulled his legs back. His thighs were smoothed up a little as his eyes sought out his mate’s. Knox rubbed his cock over Isaac’s entrance. He teased with a little bit of pressure, pulling back every few seconds. Knox snatched his hips up and buried his tongue over his hole one last time. The pleasure caused Isaac to buck off the bed. Everything was so sensitive.

“Please,” Isaac whispered one final plea. His legs were pulled closer, placed back on the bed.

Planting a hand above Isaac’s head, Knox bent down for a gentle kiss. “I love you, Isaac.”

Isaac was struck with so much emotion. His eyes tearing up, a funny feeling in his gut. Before he could whisper it back, Knox’s cock pushed against him. His mouth went wide. Even with the preparation it hurt. Not an agonizing pain, but a slow stretch that burned for more than he was comfortable with. But he also welcomed the pain. It meant his mate was filling him, inside of him finally.

“Relax,” Knox murmured.

He fisted Isaac’s angry cock, stroking it few times to ease the pain a little. Every inch inside of his mate was like being pulled closer—the muscles gripping him so tight, he wasn’t sure they would ever let go. He slid in deeper, until he was finally settled skin to skin. Slowly, he eased his face down to Isaac’s. Tears streamed down his boy’s cheeks, but they weren’t sad tears.

Knox smiled against his mate’s lips. “Worth the wait?” He purred in a sexy rumble.

Isaac’s eyes met his. “Fuck yeah.”

“God,” Knox growled. His head tilted back when Isaac’s hips lifted a bit, shifting his cock inside.

“You can pray all you want, but your mine now,” Isaac quipped, mocking Knox’s earlier comment. “And I want to be fucked.”

“Big words for a brat,” Knox teased. He bit Isaac’s lip before letting it slip from his mouth.

Isaac moaned as Knox moved a little, pulling out ever so slightly. “Call me what you want, but you want it too.”

“Can’t you feel how much I want it?” Knox nipped Isaac’s neck, pulled his cock back a few inches before burying himself deep within. Fangs scratching fresh skin, Knox purred—a constant vibration of his power made verbal.

“Move for me, Knoxtian,” Isaac murmured his mate’s full name.

“As you wish, my tiny dancer.” He flicked his tongue over the scratches, pleased with the way Isaac said his name. He pulled back to sit on his heels. “Watch me.”

Blue eyes locked on coal black, Isaac watched as his mate pull back slowly—the feeling of his muscles closing up as Knox exited him was so hot. Knox grinned and rammed back inside. If it was possible, Isaac’s back rolled with shock, pleasure. His mate was moving inside of him—a dream come true. Not only was he moving, he was taking it home hard. What scared him was how much he liked it rough. He’d expected this Hollywood love scene—this rhythm of slow and deep accompanied by whispered words. But this was him and Knox, who was he kidding? They wanted it rough.

His ass was lifted higher up Knox’s body. Fingers dug into his hips. Knox pulled back only to slam inside with a grace that surprised Isaac. He loved the slick feel of Knox pulling all the way out and forcing his way back in, passing the tight ring of muscle—a small pain each time that only added to the pleasure. He knew he wasn’t going to last long. He’d never released without touching himself and the added pressure of the cord wrapped around him was too much to handle.

Above, Knox wanted so much to last a few more minutes. He drew back, plunged in deep and pushed Isaac’s knees to his chest. His hand drew back, slapped his mate’s ass so hard he knew he saw stars. His fingers dug into the flesh, nails biting down enough to draw blood. Isaac’s body couldn’t take the mix of feelings. His cock, almost purple with the need to release, twitched against his glossy stomach—sweat, fluids and popsicle-sticky.

He cried out, pain of the most erotic kind zinged through his body as his balls drew up against the cord and released. Knox thrust in and out quickly now. He grabbed Isaac’s cock, pulled it to him and took the warm release on his chest, his chin to lick away—coating his body in his mate’s first sexual release between them. He squeezed every last drop, only letting go when Isaac’s muscles clamped down one last time. The vampire shuddered, fell onto his palms on either side of Isaac’s head and plunged inside.

He threw back his head with a roar so loud it rattled the windows. His eyes bursting with gold and his fangs bared to his mate, Knox came screaming Isaac’s name. He collapsed in a heap between his mate’s legs. He couldn’t bear being away from Isaac’s skin right this second. He needed the closeness, the contact. Isaac’s heart hammered in chest under his ears. Legs wrapped around his back while they recovered, learning how to breathe all over again.

Isaac pulled at the chains on his wrists, wanting nothing more than to hold Knox to him—to never let him go. The sound of music was subtle now in the background. The sound of his mate’s breathing against his skin more beautiful than any song he could ever hear.

“I love you more,” Isaac rasped with emotion.

Knox finally looked up. He shifted his weight slowly, reaching for the cuffs to undo his mate. He knew what Isaac wanted and he wanted it too. Something he’d always longed to do. The cuffs gave way—dark red bands bloomed over his mate’s wrist as a reminder of what they had done. He gave Isaac a few seconds to feel his arms again while he shimmied down his boy’s body. The cord came away slowly under his fingers. Isaac’s seed glistened under Knox’s touch. He bent over and carefully licked the swelling pain away—the removal of the cord being the most sensitive part of the experience.

 Isaac hissed. His hands finally able to slide home into Knox’s hair, he combed them through—letting Knox know how good it felt. His softening cock swallowed into his mate’s mouth, the slow and gentle suction was intimate and a sign that Knox would make this work between them. He wanted to take care of his mate. Isaac relaxed. He was exhausted and Knox’s mouth only worked him deeper into the bed.

Fingering away all his mate’s release on his chest, licking each drop from his hand, Knox reveled in the sated look on Isaac’s face. For all the pain, the pleasure they had shared together. Nothing meant more to him than holding his Isaac when he looked like this. As he bent down arms encircled his shoulders, lips rose to kiss his neck and Knox had never felt so right in all his life. He reached over and flipped the switch by the bed. The lights off and nothing more than the moon to see by, Knox flipped over and pulled Isaac to him. Their bodies twined as he pulled the covers from the corner of the bed across them.

Isaac fit to his chest perfectly and Knox closed his eyes tight. Tears escaped him, over his cheeks and down his neck. Isaac was right. This is where they both fit in—freak to freak, heart to heart.

“Goodnight, my tiny dancer,” he whispered in the dark. But he knew Isaac was already fast asleep. He lay there thinking about all the things to come until sleep finally took him and he snuggled close. His mate was finally his.

To Be Continued…