He would’ve noticed, wouldn’t he? Ian scrambled to remember everything about their time together. Had he been so caught up in the moment that he’d failed to notice that Jesse didn’t have a heartbeat, didn’t need to fucking breathe? Maybe Jesse did something to his mind...
Jesus Christ, Cate had been worried about meeting a vampire out on the street when all the while he’d had one in his bloody bed!
He’d been at the bar where she worked. Spoken to her, for fuck’s sake.
Motherfucking bastard!
Ian wracked his brain for a way out. No way was he dying in some pissed-stained alley at the back of a Spar shop. “They’ll know if you kill me, right? The VLCD will come after you. They’ll probably kill you too.” An educated guess, but from the shadow that passed over Peter’s face, he wasn’t far off the mark.
“I was supposed to investigate you from afar without raising suspicion.” He laughed softly, then leaned in and ran his nose along the column of Ian’s throat.
Ian’s heart stopped. For one long moment he thought that was it, thought Peter was going to rip his throat out and drink his blood until he died right there on the street.
Instead, Peter sniffed.
“I can smell him on you,” he whispered. “I was all set to do as I was told, find out what I needed, then leave you alone. But then I smelt Jesse’s scent on you, faint, but definitely his.”
I knew I should’ve washed my fucking sheets.
“And that was that,” Peter carried on. “I can’t possibly leave you alive, knowing that you still hold his attention even though he’s been banned from seeing you.”
Ian’s mind whirred as Peter spoke in a voice far too soft for the words he was saying.
“You don’t have to do this,” he choked out, horrified to feel his eyes welling up. “I won’t contact him again. Ever. I won’t tell anyone about this.”
“Such a liar,” Peter crooned, stroking his face again. “Jesse always goes for the feisty, clever ones.” The hand around his throat tightened, tipping Ian’s head to one side. “He was mine once. Would still be mine if I hadn’t made one little error of judgement.” He leaned in close, lips brushing the side of Ian’s throat.
Oh God.
“He’ll be so upset when he finds you.”
Fangs grazed his skin, and Ian closed his eyes.
“But I’ll be there to comfort him, just like I was the last time he lost someone he cared for. I’ll make him see that fucking a human is never a good idea.”
Ian felt Peter’s mouth open wide, and he struggled under his grip, but it was like he was held in place by iron bars.
“They’re just food.”
Fangs pierced his skin and pain, sharp and hot, lanced through him. The scream died in his throat as Peter drank and drank, pulling the blood from Ian’s body with each long swallow.
His eyelids felt heavy and unconsciousness tugged at him, calling him to give in and let go. He fought for all he was worth, kicking his legs, hands scrabbling at anything they could reach, but it was useless. Peter ignored it all, his rhythm never faltering until Ian couldn’t hang on any longer, and the world went black.
CHAPTER TEN
Jesse checked his mirror, on the lookout for traffic police as he flung his car around the country roads. Raph would be furious when he found out Jesse had left, but he couldn’t let Peter anywhere near Ian without being there to keep an eye on them.
He only hoped he wasn’t too late.
Peter had a good hour-and-a-half head start, and anything could’ve happened in that time.
He wouldn’t kill Ian, even Peter wasn’t that stupid. But he was creative, and Jesse wouldn’t put it past him to scare Ian half to death or injure him and make it look like an accident. Peter was sadistic that way, especially, he suspected, when it came to men Jesse liked.
He should’ve known this would happen.
Should’ve stayed the fuck away from Ian as soon as Peter smelt his scent on him.
He gripped the steering wheel so hard it creaked.
