STARCROSSED 4: IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
by Reno MacLeod and Jaye Valentine
This copyrighted book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any existing or future means without written permission from the authors. Contact information is available at http://macleodvalentine.com.
This book is an original work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are solely the product of the authors' imaginations and/or are used fictitiously, although reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, or to actual situations or events is entirely coincidental. All sexually active fictional characters portrayed are 18 years of age or older. This book is intended for an adult audience.
Cover Design and Artwork by: Reno MacLeod
StarCrossed 4: In the Blink of an Eye © 2010 Reno MacLeod & Jaye Valentine
Second Edition
StarCrossed 4: In the Blink of an Eye © 2011 Reno MacLeod & Jaye Valentine
ISBN-13: 978-1-4524-8117-3
Published by M&V Tailz.
Smashwords Edition.
All rights reserved.
Previous books in this series can be purchased from AllRomanceEbooks.com, OmniLit.com, the Kindle Store at Amazon.com, and other online retailers.
StarCrossed 1: Demon Tailz
StarCrossed 2: Opposite Ends of the Spectrum
StarCrossed 2 1/2: Sangria and Seraphim
StarCrossed 3: Objects in the Mirror
StarCrossed 4: In the Blink of an Eye
Coming in 2012
StarCrossed 5: Panacea
STARCROSSED 4: IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
by Reno MacLeod & Jaye Valentine
Part I — Now
Chapter One
Present Day . . .
Vampires sleep to kill time, nothing more, and sleeping vampires have no dreams.
Precognitive visions sneak in, mostly of inconsequential things: a flat tire, a busted water heater flooding the cellar, guests dripping blood on the carpet, the children frolicking through the house and breaking a vase. Things that could be fixed, restored, or replaced.
But there were exceptions.
Visions, clear and terrifying images of broken things, bleeding things, missing things.
Things that couldn't be fixed or restored or replaced.
Gennady scrubbed a hand down his face, thankful his heart couldn't race and he couldn't break into a cold sweat. Stilling his mind, he looked at the peacefully sleeping pile of soft, black fur curled up in a ball next to him. He vowed not to let Fallon out of his sight until the feeling of dread passed.
He couldn't go back to sleep, and soon the stainless steel blinds would creep up their tracks and uncover all the windows in the house. With night ready to pounce, the Zaitsev residence would come to life. Brightly lit. Happy, warm, and safe.
Once at his desk, Gennady leaned back in his chair, looked toward the antique bed and the snoozing ball of fur. Despite his rough day and the frightful vision, a pleased smile curved his lips.
Fallon looked no less than precious when he slept: the twitching tail, the wrinkling velvet nose, the soft whimpers and excited little yips directed at some unseen playmate.
Gennady's smile fell, replaced by a fang needling at his bottom lip with worry. Fallon awoke. Smoky blue-gray eyes opened after multiple blinks and settled on Gennady, Fallon's bushy black, white-tipped tail thumping happily on the bed.
Gennady forced a small smile. "Good morning, sleepyhead."
Fallon yawned, let out a loud whine and stood, stretching from toes to tail. He leaped off the bed, but before his front paws touched the rug they'd become hands, and a nude young man stalked forward on all fours and shoved his head into Gennady's lap.
"How long have you been watching me?" Fallon nuzzled against Gennady's hand.
"A little while." Gennady ran his fingers along the slope of Fallon's jaw. "I enjoy watching you sleep."
"You could have woken me. I would've kept you company." Fallon turned his head enough for Gennady's fingers to sink into thick, black hair. "And I would've let you feed. Your skin is so cold tonight!"
Gennady scratched behind Fallon's ears. The horrible day's sleep faded away, the memory of the vision vanishing with one look from those gorgeous eyes. Gennady twirled his fingers through sleek, shiny hair, and he gave the long locks a gentle but encouraging tug. "You could climb onto my lap and be my breakfast."
A low, lustful sound rumbled from Fallon, and Gennady suddenly had a lapful of werefox.
Chest to chest, Fallon nuzzled along Gennady's neck and nipped before baring his in offer. He gripped Gennady's waist, his fingers caressing the silky black material of Gennady's favorite sleep pants. "Drink enough so you can fuck me. I'm so damn horny this morning!"
"Oh, really?" Gennady lifted his hips to grind his pelvis against Fallon, slippery silk sliding over Fallon's bare ass. "You're in quite a mood." Gennady ran his nose along Fallon's long neck, sniffing at the blood gurgling under the surface of soft, white skin. "Were you dreaming about me?"
Fallon inhaled a sharp breath, his fingernails biting into Gennady's hips. "I dreamed I was being chased by something. As I was about to be caught, you snatched me away." Fallon arched his back. "I need this as much as you do tonight."
Gennady felt the hard cock jutting against his belly, could hear Fallon's heart beating strong and fast. A small moan escaped him as he bit Fallon's throat, his fangs sinking deep into the perfect spot midway between the jugular vein and left carotid artery. He formed a vacuum with his lips on smooth skin and sucked hard, not wasting a drop. The blood tasted sweet, richer and thicker than human blood, and the life-fluid filled Gennady's emptiness in no time. He swallowed with a slow, even rhythm, satisfying his hunger, fulfilling his craving for intimate contact. His face tingled and he knew his cheeks were pinking, and his hands felt measurably warmer as he gripped and fondled Fallon's sweet ass. Gennady's cock came to life, straining against silk while he thrust against Fallon's body.
Fallon gyrated and rubbed his ass against Gennady almost violently, as if trying to satisfy an intensifying itch. Soft moans and gentle cries mixed as he rocked against Gennady's cock. Gennady slowed his drinking, and Fallon ground down harder and tugged at the waistband of the silk pants.
Gennady growled, his fangs exiting Fallon's neck along the precise path they'd entered, leaving perfect punctures that would heal fast and without scarring. He lifted his ass off the chair and let Fallon yank his pajamas to his knees. His cock sprung to the ready, hard and heavy, hot with Fallon's own blood. Gennady licked his lips, drew the last remaining drops of blood into his mouth with the tip of his tongue. He grasped Fallon's erection in a tight-fisted grip and stroked. "Tell me what you need. I want to hear you say it."
Fallon bucked his hips, pushing his long, hard cock through Gennady's hand, moaning. "I want you to let me suck your cock." His eyes twinkled. "And then I want you to bend me over your desk and fill me with this."
Gennady's cock twitched and flexed in Fallon's hand, and he squeezed Fallon's cock in return, working his fist from base to tip to draw out the clear, sticky fluid. After a quick smearing of pre-cum to the head of Fallon's cock, Gennady lifted his hand to his mouth to lick the juices away, putting more pure Fallon in his belly. He placed his hands on Fallon's shoulders with insistent, downward pressure. "On your knees."
Obedient, Fallon slid down Gennady's body to kneel between parted thighs. He encircled Gennady's cock with long, nimble fingers and gave several gratuitous tugs. "You're breathing." Fallon cocked an eyebrow, teasing. "I love when I make you forget yourself."
He slipped the crown of Gennady's cock past his lips into the warmth of his mouth.
Fingernails digging half-moon shapes into the leather armrests of his chair, Gennady moaned freely. His knees fell wide, his spine curving inward as he tried to sink in deeper. "Your mouth is so good. Warm and soft and tight."
Fallon demonstrated his adoration with every long suck and pull he took on Gennady's erection. He eased back, rose from the floor, and draped face down over the edge of the heavy wooden desk. "Here's something else warm and soft and tight."
"I'll have to let you sleep in more often, if you're going to awaken like this." Gennady pressed Fallon's sharp hip bones against the edge of the desk. He ran a fingernail along the valley of Fallon's spine to the crack of his ass.
Instantly, Fallon reared his ass up in response, his fluffy tail flopping to one side. He wriggled as he stood on tiptoe. "If not for my needing to eat, we could lock the bedroom door and never leave."
"That's what servants are for." Gennady ran his dry tongue down Fallon's back, tracing the same path as his finger. He skimmed a hand over the length of Fallon's furry tail and took a sharp nip at each ass cheek. "You can eat room service; I can eat you."
"Gennady!" Fallon panted, slender yet strong legs splayed apart, his cock rubbing against the desk amid a continuous stream of excited whimpers. "Such a tease."
"I never tease." Gennady chuckled and opened a desk drawer. He slid his other hand to the front of Fallon's body and lightly caressed the hard length of Fallon's erection. He found what he sought in the drawer without looking—Gennady was nothing if not organized. He popped the cap on a bottle of lube and drizzled some along the cleft of his lover's gorgeous little ass.
Fallon jerked and pushed his dick through Gennady's waiting fingers.
Gennady slid his cock between Fallon's cheeks and rolled his hips. He circled the head of Fallon's dick with his thumb, tracing the ridges and curves. "I love when you squirm like this for me."
"Need you, Gennady." Fallon moaned. "I'll squirm even more with you inside me."
"Arch your back; get that lovely ass in the air for me." Gennady made a purring sound, the head of his cock bumping over Fallon's little hole, and he applied a bit of pressure.
Fallon pushed back, the muscles in his ass and thighs taut and tight.
Gennady slipped inside, and Fallon's slick, warm walls clenched around him. He moaned in Fallon's ear, drew his fist down Fallon's cock, one body melding into the other. "So good," Gennady said, his voice dark and throaty. "Let me feel what you can do with your beautiful ass."
Fallon stretched his body, and the action naturally tightened his inner muscles around Gennady's cock. Drawing his arms underneath him, Fallon hoisted off the desk. His unbound hair hung like a black curtain, hiding his face but unable to muffle his grunts and moans. The new position gave him leverage to draw off Gennady's cock before slamming back in time with Gennady's forward thrusts. "Can never get you deep enough. I want you part of me the way I am with you when you drink from me."
Gennady drew his arms around Fallon's midsection, and he sank into him slow and deep. He relaxed his upper body against Fallon's back. Rigid coils of powerful muscles under Fallon's smooth, supple skin belied the werefox's lithe appearance. Gennady rested his chin on Fallon's shoulder, his hips rocking languidly in a lazy, serene fuck.
"You're always a part of me, my little kit," Gennady whispered against perfect, fair skin. "Always."
The tension throughout Fallon's body eased, and when the couple found a perfect rhythm, Fallon craned his neck and peppered Gennady's face with loving kisses. Heat built between them. Fallon's skin became slick with sweat. "Always part of you. Fuck!"
Skimming his hands over Fallon's flat belly, Gennady caressed Fallon's cock. Light, easy strokes, and he grazed firm balls as they drew up high and hard. "Come for me. I want to feel you spill on my hands. Love you so much!"
Gennady bucked his hips upward; his cock thickened and fluttered inside Fallon as a dry, twitching orgasm seized him.
Fallon's release was anything but dry, and he froze beneath Gennady, one pulse of thick slick after another coating Gennady's fingers. Afterward, Fallon dropped down to the desk, weak and seemingly boneless. Once his breathing became manageable and he reclaimed use of his tongue, Fallon laughed. "I don't think I can move."
Gennady slid wet fingers up Fallon's narrow hips and left a sticky trail. He placed a sweet, tender kiss on Fallon's shoulder. "So . . . how do you like the room service?"
"Quite satisfying." Fallon grinned. He lifted his rear end to Gennady's groin and gave a little wiggle. "But I might need to order dessert after I recover."
The week leading up to the Fourth of July had been a mixed bag of nasty weather, ranging from just plain wet and dreary to tumultuous thunderstorms. But on the evening of the fireworks, Mother Nature cooperated. The clouds sneaked off past the horizon late in the afternoon, and a strong breeze blew to carry away smoke and the smell of sulfur.
Jace Barton leaned back into the lime green cushions of the old Victorian porch swing and ran his hands over his brother's feet propped on his lap. He and Konnor had spent a lazy day at home enjoying the heat of the day. They'd both worked at their bar, Tailz, especially late the night before so they could spend this evening together with family. Jace checked his watch. "Fallon and Gennady are going to miss the fireworks if they don't hurry. They only have about five minutes."
"I'm sure they won't miss the show." Konnor stretched and flexed his feet as Jace massaged them, and he breathed out a contented sigh. "Fallon has been jumping out of his fur all day waiting for this. He's probably dragging Father down the stairs as we speak." Konnor closed his eyes and moaned, his head dropping back on a pillow. He wiggled his toes under Jace's massaging. "Feels good."
Jace made a wry grin. "I've never seen anyone so jazzed about witnessing something that scares him so damn much. I think our beloved little werefox is riding the short bus sometimes."
"Did they start yet?" Right on cue, Fallon burst through the door. He clutched two bags of microwave popcorn in one hand and dragged Gennady along behind him with the other. Plopping down on the railing of the porch, he tossed Konnor one of the warm bags.
Jace chuckled at Gennady's T-shirt choice for the evening. White, glittery letters on a black shirt stated: REAL VAMPIRES DON'T SPARKLE!
"Should be starting any minute now." Konnor tore open the popcorn and took a handful. "Where have you guys been? We were beginning to think you weren't coming."
"Sorry, children." Gennady smiled at his adopted twin demons, kicked off his flip-flops, and piled into one of the big garden chairs. "We were otherwise engaged. I apologize for keeping you waiting."
"Translation: you were upstairs doing the horizontal bop." Jace snorted a quick laugh.
Fallon crunched a mouthful of popcorn extra loud and glared at Jace.
Konnor blushed, pointed one foot, and poked Jace hard in the stomach. He opened his mouth to speak, but interruption came in the form of a booming noise and eruptions of red, white, and blue lights high in the night sky.
Fallon squealed, dropped his popcorn, and slapped both hands over his ears. Eyes and mouth wide, he looked up and oozed off the railing to back his way closer to Gennady. He managed to grab his popcorn bag along the way. "Oh! So bright!"
Gennady grabbed Fallon by denim belt loops and pulled him into his lap. He put his arms around Fallon's waist, pulling him close against his chest. He propped his chin on Fallon's shoulder and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Fallon settled back against Gennady. A series of whooshes heralded more explosions and Fallon sucked in his breath. He managed not to flinch too badly as the sky lit up with bursts of gold and purple.
Despite his teasing, Jace couldn't help but smile. Hard to believe only a few months ago this familiar tranquility had been threatened by the Barton twins' past. Family and friends had pulled together to save Jace, and since then he'd barely left Konnor's side. The summoning by John and Matthew Banks from the South Dakota cult where Jace and Konnor grew up had been a terrible reminder.
Although the town of Salem accepted the supernaturals, there would always be external dangers to face.
Konnor slipped his legs around Jace's waist and pulled him against his chest toboggan-style. Peering around Jace, Konnor looked in Gennady's direction. He waited until a loud clap of fireworks stopped echoing through the neighborhood before he spoke. "Father, why isn't Jericho here? He never misses holidays."
Smiling warmly at the twins, Gennady drew his arms tighter around Fallon's trim waist, his festive expression marginally caving. "Jericho's been back in town for enough time that he's again considered a resident. He has to re-register with the authorities tomorrow, so I think he needed something more exciting than a family picnic to keep his mind occupied." Gennady shrugged. "He left yesterday evening."
"Probably a good idea," Jace said. "Not like he'd be able to sit still if he were here."
Fallon twisted around to look at Gennady. "Is the process that horrible? I was so young, I don't remember registering."
Gennady's face clouded with a disgusted expression. "Rather like being arrested, but you've not been accused of a damn thing except—"
"—being different." Konnor took his brother's closest hand and laced their fingers together. "The whole thing stinks."
"I had hoped we'd be well beyond this by now." Gennady rubbed his nose against Fallon's shoulder, as if scratching an itch. Jace realized from the rosy flush of cheeks that Gennady had fed before coming outside. As a result, Gennady resembled an all-you-can-eat-buffet for the local mosquito population. "Things are progressing slower than I envisioned."
Fallon wriggled to sit sideways on Gennady's lap and wrapped his arms around him.