Butting Heads With A Gargoyle by Charlie Richards

Chapter Six

The second the door closed behind them, Vermidian bent and lifted his mate into his arms. Ridger let out a grunt of surprise, but to Vermidian’s pleasure, he didn’t resist. Instead, after a few seconds, he laughed and wrapped one arm around his neck.

Pointing to the left, Ridger told him, “That’s my bedroom.”

Vermidian nodded and followed instruction, heading that way. “I hope you’re ready to fuck and be fucked.” Realizing he might be getting ahead of himself, as he maneuvered into the bedroom, he asked, “Do you know that gargoyles bond swiftest by giving and receiving, both seed and bites?”

Sure, Vermidian was an elder of his race, but he’d always known that if he found his mate in a man, he would bottom for him. While it had been at least five centuries, he would be happy to accept his vampire.

Ridger nodded. “I did know that. Yes.” His eyes narrowed as concern filled his scent. “Are you going to tell me that you don’t bottom or, uh... something?”

Vermidian scoffed. “Oh, no. Not at all.” Glancing around the bedroom, he hummed in appreciation. “Very nice.” He refocused on Ridger and asked, “Bathroom? I’d like to wash us before we begin.”

When Ridger pointed to the right, Vermidian once more followed his vampire’s direction. While he would be the first to admit that the way the coven master dismissed him, even ordered him to go bond, had pissed him off, he didn’t mind listening to Ridger one little bit. Vermidian sure hoped the coven master wouldn’t make a habit of that carelessness.

Deciding Master Krispin had no place in his thoughts when Ridger was in his arms, he dismissed the man’s actions. He smiled when his vampire flipped the lights on as he crossed the threshold. Appreciation flooded him upon taking in the nicely appointed space.

Having lived without indoor plumbing for over half of his life, Vermidian made it a habit of spoiling himself rotten in any place he lived or stayed.

Humans, with their short lifespans, just don’t understand such simple luxuries.

“Are you drooling over my massive tile shower with rain-shower head?” Ridger teased. “Or the huge jetted tub?”

Realizing he’d been standing there a little too long, Vermidian placed Ridger on the bathmat. “Maybe a little of both,” he admitted, always wanting the truth between them. With a shrug, he added, “I love indoor plumbing.”

“Hmm, me, too,” Ridger admitted. “I remember cold baths in the river.” Resting his palms on Vermidian’s chest, he met his gaze. “I bet you had a lot more of those than I did.”

“Is that your way of asking me how old I am?” Vermidian asked, winking at Ridger. “I’m over thirteen hundred, but I couldn’t tell you exactly. I just round up to the next century halfway through each one.”

Ridger swept his gaze down him, then back up again. “Damn. You look good.” When Vermidian gripped the bottom of his polo shirt and began to draw it up, Ridger helpfully lifted his arms. “And we’ve only been learning the ins and outs of gargoyle culture over the last couple of years. I could have missed something.”

While Ridger’s words were a bit muffled for a few seconds while Vermidian tugged the fabric over the vampire’s head, he still had no trouble understanding them. “What interesting things did you run into?” he asked curiously, reaching for Ridger’s fly.

Vermidian loved his mate’s confidence, allowing him to undress him at will.

“Touching your wings and tail are taboo. Well, unless you’re a mate or are invited.”

Pausing with Ridger’s zipper halfway down, Vermidian cocked his head. “I’m a little worried to ask how that came up.”

Ridger grinned as he shimmied his hips as he pushed down his jeans and underwear, despite the zipper still at half-mast. His erection bounced up and slapped his stomach, the sound echoing obscenely off the bathroom walls. Then his vampire turned his ass to him and bent, pushing the fabric down.

Vermidian groaned, his fingers twitching spastically. “Want you so fucking bad,” he muttered as his breathing sped up. His erection throbbed behind his loincloth, so he grabbed one stay and tugged, whipping it from his body. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

“When Wash arrived, he was injured,” Ridger told him, straightening and toeing off his shoes. “A rogue had slashed his wings, and he nearly gutted Doctor Ward when he tried to inspect them.” With a grimace, Ridger added, “We didn’t understand until Dloben explained it to us.”

“Ah,” Vermidian murmured, more because he was admiring Ridger’s gorgeous naked frame than because he was still following the conversation. Still, he had enough wherewithal to mutter, “I believe I heard something about that. I’m glad Fate blessed him so.”

Ridger met his gaze, and his brown eyes danced with pleasure. “You’re not interested in that anymore. Are you?”

Vermidian growled and shook his head. “Hell, no.”

“Good.” Ridger turned and started the shower water. When he looked over his shoulder at him, his eyes darkening with his desire, he added, “If you had been, I would have thought I was losing my touch.”

“Never,” Vermidian vowed, pressing close to his muscular vampire. With a growl in his voice, he assured, “I will always want you.”

Ridger nodded once. “I know we still have a lot of hurdles to overcome, but I can’t deny that I want you.” He stepped backward into the tile shower. Taking Vermidian’s wrist, Ridger drew him in after, and Vermidian was oh-so-happy to follow. “Fuck me into the wall, my gargoyle,” he urged. “Then I’ll take you back to the bed and mount you.”

Vermidian’s blood fired through his veins as images of Ridger’s coarse words burst through his mind. “Yes,” he growled, more than on board with that. “I will fuck you now, while opening myself with my tail.” Turning Ridger so his back was to the wonderfully hot spray, Vermidian dipped his head and whispered into Ridger’s ear, “I love tail-play. Do you want to feel it while I wash you?”

Upon hearing Ridger’s breath catch in his chest, Vermidian grinned. He glanced around, searching for something to use as lubricant. Spotting the waterproof lube, he let out a low growl. Jealousy knotted his stomach, even as he grabbed the tube.

“Do you bring people into your shower often?” Vermidian demanded, his cock aching with his desire to replace every lover in Ridger’s mind. Wiggling the tube, he demanded, “Is that why you have this in here?”

“Relax,” Ridger crooned, rubbing his palms down Vermidian’s torso. “The answer is no.” With an understanding smile, he explained, “I may be the vampire second, but I’m a switch.” Ridger shrugged. “Problem is, I can’t have just anyone fucking me, or it could cause problems in the coven, so I use a dildo.”

Following where Ridger indicated, Vermidian just about swallowed his tongue. Tucked behind the other bottles—he’d been too preoccupied with the lube to notice it—was something else interesting. He spotted the suction cup at the end and realized it was a dildo that could be attached to a seat or wall, allowing the person to fuck himself on the toy.

A mental image of Ridger pounding his own ass popped into Vermidian’s head, and he moaned roughly. “I’m going to want to watch you do that sometime.” He met his vampire’s gaze. “While I’m busy sucking your dick.”

Ridger’s nostrils flared, and red began to bleed into his irises. “Oh, gods.” With a moan, he grabbed the lube from Vermidian and popped the cap. “Can’t wait.” Ridger hesitated. “Where should I put this?”

Vermidian blinked twice, mentally putting that idea on a shelf. “Here.” He lifted his tail and wiggled the end. “Pour it over the end. Then lean against the wall and relax.”

While Ridger appeared uncertain, he still obeyed.

Feeling the warm fluid slide over the tip of his appendage sent a zing of awareness straight to Vermidian’s balls. He tightened his abdominals, doing his best to maintain control. His testicles felt heavy, and he anticipated flooding his vampire with his seed.

Gotta get him some cinnamon later.

Thinking of how Ridger had reacted to the idea of carrying his young, as well as the natural contraceptive, helped Vermidian rein in his control a little. He pushed those thoughts aside in favor of grabbing the body wash. Ignoring the loofah, Vermidian decided to use his hands, instead.

Vermidian poured a healthy dollop into the palm of one hand before he closed the bottle and set it aside. Rubbing his hands together, he worked up a healthy lather. He focused on Ridger and admired his vampire’s strong frame as he leaned against the wall.

Then Vermidian spotted Ridger’s furrowed brows and clenching hands.

Hmmm.

Resting his palms on Ridger’s shoulders, Vermidian began working the soap into his vampire’s skin. At the same time, he eased his tail behind the male’s thigh. Holding Ridger’s gaze, Vermidian carefully teased the tip of his appendage into the top of his trench.

Ridger sucked in a surprised breath—either from the way his tail felt or his hands, Vermidian wasn’t certain. Once again, he spotted his vampire’s hands twitch, but the man still didn’t reach for him. As Vermidian continued his massage down Ridger’s upper arms to his forearms, he decided that just wouldn’t do.

When Vermidian reached Ridger’s hands, he brought them together. Then he massaged them, coating them in body wash. After that, Vermidian lifted them to his own chest.

“Touch me,” Vermidian urged, wanting to feel Ridger’s hands on him. “Anywhere you want.”

Ridger sighed, a relieved smile toying at his lips. “Gods, yes.”

In return, Vermidian rewarded Ridger by sliding his hands back up his vampire’s arms. Upon reaching his shoulders, he slid them down his chest. As Vermidian teased Ridger’s beaded nipples, he dipped his tail a little past his new and forever lover’s guardian muscle.

“Oh,” Ridger gasped, his fingers digging into Vermidian’s chest. “Hell, yeah.”

Vermidian growled softly, enjoying that response. As he eased his tail a little further into Ridger, he searched for that special spot inside every male. As he did that, he continued to tease his hands down his torso, slowly exploring his ribcage.

When Ridger groaned and spread his legs, Vermidian knew he’d found it. He began washing his vampire’s hips, teasing into the crease of his groin. Pleasure filled him when Ridger rocked his ass back, obviously searching for more pressure.

Giving his vampire just that, Vermidian curled his tail a little while pushing deeper. He made certain to wiggle the tip over that special spot as he corkscrewed into him, stretching him gently. At the same time, he eased to his knees so he could wash down first one leg, then the other.

Vermidian urged Ridger’s hands to his shoulder so he could lift each foot, washing between his vampire’s toes. To his amusement, the male chuckled and twitched. The red bled from his eyes, and Ridger stared down at him with an amused gaze.

“You don’t need to do that,” Ridger told him, grinning.

“But I want to,” Vermidian countered as he moved his ministrations to his lover’s second leg. To distract Ridger from what must have been a ticklish feeling, he pushed his tail in deeper and rotated it around. “Just relax and enjoy.”

Groaning, Ridger muttered, “I can’t do both.” He panted softly. “Feels too good.”

Ridger’s hips jerked before Vermidian’s eyes, and he was damn tempted to suck his mate off. Then, wondering why the hell he was denying himself, he did just that. Vermidian opened his mouth and swallowed Ridger to the root.

As Ridger barked a cry of pleasure, Vermidian groaned with delight. His vampire’s flavor burst across his tongue, oh-so-delicious. He sucked as he drew partway off before sinking back down, taking him back in.

“Oh, oh, fuck, Dian,” Ridger cried, shuddering under his ministrations. “So good.”

Vermidian smiled around Ridger’s prick, pleased by his choice of nickname. Gripping his lover’s hips, he urged him to fuck his face. After just a couple of push-pulls, Ridger picked up the pace. Peering up his vampire’s sexy body, Vermidian reveled in the flush on his torso and neck, the way he tipped his head back just a little, and how his lips were parted in ecstasy.

Stunning. Gorgeous. And all mine!

“Dian,” Ridger whined, shaking in his hold. “W-Wait. Gonna—”

Instead of allowing Ridger to stop, Vermidian pressed his tail against his vampire’s prostate.

Ridger roared and bucked, lodging the crown of his dick in Vermidian’s throat, where he was only too happy to swallow around it. In the next instant, his lover’s seed gushed down his throat. Vermidian pulled off just a smidge, allowing him to taste his mate’s fluid when he pulsed the next shot.

His vampire’s flavor burst across his taste buds, lighting up his system and making him crave more. Vermidian sucked as he teased over his lover’s crease. The soft skin felt wonderful under his fingers, and he remained ever careful of his claws.

The gentle teasing rewarded Vermidian with several more pulses of Ridger’s delicious fluids. As he eased his mouth from his vampire’s prick, he knew he would want to do that often. Gargoyles had so many more taste bud receptors on their tongues than any other race, which meant they enjoyed the taste of their lover that much more.

Vermidian would never get enough of any part of Ridger.

Before rising to his feet, Vermidian took a second to grab the lube from where Ridger had dropped it at some point. He rubbed one palm up Ridger’s body as he stood. He popped the cap on the lube with his thumb, then squirted some onto his erection.

Vermidian closed the lube and set it on the shelf. As he did that, he gently began urging Ridger to turn to face the wall.

“Gonna fill your ass now, Ridger,” Vermidian crooned into his vampire’s ear. “Ready for me to claim you? Bite you and mark you?”

“Yesss,” Ridger hissed, moving to palm the tile wall.

His teeth practically ached with his need to do just that, and his mouth watered with his desire to taste his vampire’s blood.

I bet it’s even better than his seed.

Eager to find out, Vermidian gripped Ridger’s ass in one hand as he eased out his tail. “Relax,” he whispered. “I got you.” He kissed his mate’s nape upon hearing the man’s moan of protest. “I’ll take ever-so-good care of you.”

“You already are,” Ridger muttered. Turning his head, he peered over his shoulder at him. “Do it, Dian. Fuck me.”

“Not fucking you, Ridge,” Vermidian countered even as he used his free hand to guide the crown of his erection to Ridger’s prepared hole. “Making love to you.” Vermidian kissed his lover’s temple. “Claiming you.” He sucked his nape.

Then Vermidian thrust, sinking deep into Ridger’s body in one long smooth glide. He reveled in the exquisite heat encasing him in the sweetest pressure he’d ever had the privilege to experience. When Vermidian bottomed out, he stilled, and a full-body shudder worked through him.

The sensation was so intense, Vermidian feared one move would set him off. He waited, breathing harshly, and petted his vampire’s abdominals with one hand. With his other, he scraped the claw of his forefinger along the tendon where Ridger’s neck met his shoulder. Vermidian longed to bite it so very badly.

“Move,” Ridger urged, pushing his ass against him. “Dian, I’m ready.”

Vermidian groaned as he clutched Ridger close.

“Please, my beloved.” Ridger turned his head enough to give him an awkward kiss. “I need you.”

Meeting Ridger’s gaze, Vermidian admitted, “I fear I’m going to blow the second I start moving.”

Ridger smiled up at him, a twinkle lighting his red eyes. “I could bite you now and make you come.”

Vermidian groaned, having forgotten about that. “Yes, please,” he mumbled. “But in a minute.”

Then Vermidian did his best to gather his control and started moving his hips. As he pulled out, the ripple along his length tore a growl of pleasure from his throat. His breathing rasped in his chest, and he didn’t bother fighting the shudder that worked through him.

“You’re so tight, my mate,” Vermidian muttered through clenched teeth. “So perfect.” Grunting, he began thrusting back into his vampire. “So mine.”

Vermidian found his focus riveted to the pulse point at Ridger’s neck. While he’d never drank another’s blood, he wondered if this was what a vampire felt—the almost undeniable craving to bite, to drink, to taste, and consume. Except, that caused an image of Ridger fucking and drinking from some random, faceless stranger to pop into his head.

Growling possessively, Vermidian sped up his ruts. “You’re mine,” he declared. “My mate. All mine.”

“Yes,” Ridger declared. “I’m yours. All yours.”

“Damn right, you are.” Even as old as Vermidian was, he couldn’t control his possessiveness. Too much had happened—almost being denied, getting run off the road, shot at, and finally, some asshole attacking his mate. “You’ll drink only from me. No other,” Vermidian declared. “My gargoyle blood will strengthen you. My partner, standing by my side for centuries.” When Vermidian didn’t get a response fast enough, he popped his hips forward even harder, drilling his vampire, and ordered, “Say it!”

“Yoursssss,” Ridger howled. “All yours.” Then a jolt worked through the vampire as he cried, “Dian, fuck!”

Vermidian felt Ridger’s passage clamp onto his erection. The sweet scent of his cum flooded his senses. His mouth watered, and he stopped fighting his instincts.

As Vermidian’s balls pulled tight and his erection throbbed with his release, he bent and sank his sharp teeth into Ridger’s succulent flesh. The first sweet burst of his mate’s life-giving fluid flowed across his taste buds, more exquisite than anything he could ever have imagined. He suckled steadily, swallowing several more mouthfuls.

Feeling Ridger bucking in his tight hold, hearing his mate’s cry of pleasure, Vermidian felt a flood of smug satisfaction.

I’ll do anything for this. Anything to stay with my mate and build a life together.