Ministries of Change

Ministries of Change by artisticbiguy[at]aol.com

The following is a complete work of fiction.

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The following story may contain erotic situations between consenting adults. If it is illegal for you to read this please leave now.

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Age Of Aquarius - Book 2

Ministries of Change - Chapter 7

Mike looked about the club with a mixture of fascination and trepidation. Earlier that evening they had nearly lost Jase, they'd lost two of their cars and they were all shaken. Regardless of the problems, they had come to the club anyway. Jase was driven; someone he considered a friend was in trouble and he would not let it go. It was one of the things that Mike loved most about his husband: Jase's loyalty.

Mike's walls were thick and hard as they descended the steps and walked past the dance floor. So many people with so many desires and random energies in one location; it forced him to struggle to keep from being overrun by their thoughts. Fortunately, Mira was there to help. He hadn't even realized they were holding hands till Jase went off to the bar and left them standing near the dance floor.

Thanks, Mira.

Mira grinned. I'm with the two best looking men in the establishment. You better believe I'm marking my territory.

Mike smiled. "I'm your territory huh?"

"Damn straight you are. I'm one demanding bitch; no one man could ever keep up with me." She winked at him mischievously.

Mike pushed back the urge to blush and decided to play along. "Really? Well, I haven't had the pleasure of testing that theory. Personally, I think I'm just too versatile for a gender preference."

Mira started laughing, which cracked Mike's façade of superiority. The both laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Smiling, Mike bent down and captured her lips. They'd never actually had a passionate kiss before. Mira found herself lifted from the floor, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck while he held her to him. There was no denying the intensity of the sudden need; Mira was a little breathless and Mike was shaking has he set her back down. She looked into his eyes and saw the discomfort and surprise in them.

They'd all accepted that the love was there; but the passion had not had a chance to express itself. There had been no time, and her romantic men wanted the first time to be "perfect". As Mira assessed how she was feeling, she realized that she didn't need "perfect". Just the embrace had left her painfully aware of her arousal. She turned and slowly pressed back against Mike. There was no doubt of his arousal either; the length of it pressed against her as she leaned in. I'm not ready for everyone to know exactly how lucky I am Mike. We'd better get that covered.

She could feel him blush as he wrapped his arms around her and began to rock to the rhythm of the music. "I suppose we should just go with the flow."

Closing her eyes, she let him stir her into following the rhythm and pulse of the music. They were there for a purpose, but at the moment, it was forgotten. They found themselves grinding to the beat and enticing each other as they moved.

Jase watched from the bar. He felt a moment of jealousy, and then realized he wasn't sure if he was jealous of his husband or his wife. All he knew was he wished he was with them; but he couldn't get around his need to find Patrick. He didn't have to wait long.

On the second tier of the club, Patrick trembled. "Master, can't I bring you someone else?"

Arthur's patient veneer was cracking. "If you wish me to favor you with an embrace, my little whore, you will do as I request without question."

Patrick cringed. It had already been over twenty-four hours since his last embrace. He could feel the beginnings of withdrawal. If he didn't get his fix within the next few hours, he would be in agony by the time Arthur had risen again. He didn't want to do it; Jase was his only real friend. "What about one of them?" He nodded down to the hot couple who were losing themselves on the dance floor. They were mage-blood as well.

"Separating the two would be difficult and neither of them shines as bright as the blond. He is the most powerful; he will taste the sweetest." Arthur gripped his slave's chin and lifted it. "Bring him to me, my talented little whore."

Patrick descended the stairs for the bar. He wanted to warn Jase; he wanted to tell him to leave. He knew Arthur would be able to hear anything he said anywhere in the club; vampyr senses were difficult to overcome. Pat was a professional; even though he didn't want to, he began to move more confidently. He knew he looked good; he looked better than the last time Jase had been with him. He had a momentary flash of their last passionate night together; the memory fueled his desire. He would make it up to Jase. He would give him everything of his body and skill in payment for as long as Jase wanted him.

Jase blinked as he saw Patrick cutting through the crowd. He was still tall, blond, and had moved from a beautiful twink to a true hunk. He must have been twenty or twenty-one at that point. Jase had always liked Pat; he was but a mirror of Jase, a younger, less fortunate but physically more impressive mirror. He was nearly as tall as Mike and had a body something between Mike's and Jase's. He moved with the fluid grace that Mira usually displayed. For a moment, Jase was mesmerized.

Pat closed in on his prey. Licking his lips, he let his saliva coat them. As a neophyte, Pat's saliva had a slight narcotic effect. It lowered a person's inhibitions and increased their libido. His saliva was not like Arthur's. Arthur was a Master; his kiss had all the effects of Patrick's and so many more. It caused the prey to slip into a state of bliss; which would last for nearly a half hour. Once the bliss faded, the prey was calm and unconcerned for about the next eight hours. After that, their perceptions returned to normal, but if they did not get another taste within twenty-four hours, the pain of withdrawal would start. Usually, the pain would drive the prey out for another fix; a few, who resisted, usually resorted to other drugs to compensate. Most died.

Pat slid up against Jase, feeling the man's body as he ran his fingers in Jase's hair and smiled down into his eyes. "I'm glad to see you." He brought his lips to Jase's. Jase gasped, and Pat dipped his tongue in to caress his best friend's. Jase's libido stirred against Pat's thigh as he held the kiss. He felt Jase melt into the embrace. Though his conscience screamed at him, Pat tried to justify his actions by knowing how much pleasure he could offer.

Jase sighed, "Glad to see you too," as he pulled back. Pat looked so good. He wanted him so bad. Mike and Mira were already feeding him subtle erotic sensations as they danced. Pat's kiss just enhanced the effects. Jase pulled Pat back down into a deeper, more needy kiss as he began to grind himself against Pat to the beat of the music. Pat wouldn't mind joining them for the night; Jase could pay him if necessary. He wanted that hot body against him again. "Let's dance."

Pat smiled. "Let's dance upstairs." He licked along Jase's neck, spreading more of his influence. He wanted his friend to feel nothing but the pleasure; if he gave him enough he wouldn't even feel when Arthur chose to feed.

Jase had never remembered Pat having so much confidence. He'd always been a little shy, scared and unsure. The confidence was sexy as hell. He found he couldn't think of a reason not to follow Pat as the man took his hand and led him up the stairs. They were friends; Pat wouldn't hurt him. Jase had no problem walking, but he realized he wasn't thinking quite clearly. He was also painfully aware that he was rock hard and his pants were rubbing him to a desperate state of arousal.

Arthur watched as his prey approached. The man was beautiful, but it was the power of his aura that made him irresistible. He had seldom encountered a mage-blood with so much power; especially one so young and easily captured. He ran his tongue across his fangs. All the powers of legend were available through the drinking of mage-blood.

He ran his hand up the mage's arm and slid his fingers behind his beautiful neck. Arthur was salivating with the need for a taste. His eyes lit with fury as another set of fingers covered the neck. His slave's blue, pleading eyes meet his. "Master... please... he's my friend."

He snarled. "You have no friends that I do not give you." With a flick of his fingers, he brought Pat to his knees and held him there with but the simplest effort. "I will have what is mine."

Jase glared at the man who was hurting his friend. He only stood Jase's height, had pale skin and classically handsome features. Something about him was wrong, and Jase raised his will. "Let him go." The magic was sloppy as it came, but it came.

Arthur gave Jase no chance to unleash his power. Even a Master Vampyr could not stand against a prepared and angry mage. He had his mouth on the stunned man's neck before Jase could even flex his fingers. The fangs sank in, and Jase shuddered. Arthur's eyes rolled back as the power flowed into him like the rush of a river. He was a god.

Mira was drunk on the music and the feel of Mike against her. Mike was no less intoxicated. The music was designed to stir the baser instincts and drive the dancers to a state of ecstatic need. Somehow, Mira had practically peeled Mike's shirt from him... it was off his shoulders and draped like a valence from his arms as he danced against her. They were lost in each other. Dreams, waiting and the bond all fueled their fire, and it raged like an inferno. It would have erupted like a bomb had Jase been with them. As it was, they were completely consumed.

Mira had her face against Mike's chest, reveling in the movement of his muscles and the scraping of his hair against her. One of the things she'd always found attractive in Mike was his total masculinity without the macho bullshit. Jase was "in touch with his feminine side" without being "feminine", but Mike was all man. It was as if the three of them represented the three aspects of sexuality: man, woman, and the balance of the two.

They were low, near the floor, grinding to the music. Mira had her pelvis against Mike's thigh and was grinding herself closer and closer to release as Mike's hands caressed her body. The heat flowing from him as his body sweat was driving her over the edge. She never got there. Suddenly, they both clutched their necks and snapped out of their self-induced trances. They didn't need to say anything; Jase was too close not to be projecting everything.

Mike vaulted from the floor like a super hero or martial artist from a Hong Kong action flick. He landed on the upper level near Jase. Jase was trembling, his body limp, as a man was suckling against his throat. Mike could see some drops of blood running down his love's neck and staining his shirt. Launching himself faster than any human could, Mike grabbed at his enemy. The shock of impact and sense of free flight caught him off guard. The man had moved faster than him; he'd been backhanded like a gnat and was soaring over the railing and back toward the center of the club before he could even figure out what had happened.

Arthur dropped his meal. The mage was his. He had to dispatch his companions before they could do figure out what they were up against. The girl was rushing up the stairs and the larger man was on his way back down to the dance floor. Two enemies; neither prepared; it was going to be a cakewalk.

Patrick watched in horror as Jase collapsed. Memories of the night of terror came back. He'd been with the most captivating man who had brought pleasure from him like no one had ever done. He had felt something happening as he closed on the precipice of orgasm. It felt as if his soul were rising with his impending release; it felt as if when he came, he'd let go of more than just his cum... he would give up his soul was well. He'd wanted to stop, he'd wanted to resist, but the man rode him with a power that he could not resist. He would lose everything and enjoy every agonized moment of it.

Then Jase had exploded into the room like an angel of vengeance. He'd flared like a star and unleashed himself on the demon that was set upon taking Patrick to hell with him. Pat had lay, horrified and dumb, and watched as his only real friend from the streets faced the creature. Jase had defeated it; he had sent it back to hell. He had held Pat as Pat cried; and he'd wrapped him up in his love and made him feel safe.

Jase was on the floor, bleeding like he had earlier that night. The rage rose. Jase was the only person who'd ever cared and asked nothing in return. He'd tried to get Pat off the streets, but Pat's dependence on drugs and lack of self-confidence had brought him back to the life of a hustler. Arthur had taken him from that life, but had replaced his addiction for coke with an addiction for Arthur's embrace.

Pat rose. Even if he would end up killing himself over the withdrawals, Pat could not let Jase become another of Arthur's slaves. His fangs extended as his vision went black and white. He was a creature of the night, and he knew no mercy.

Arthur was ready for the magelings. He was not ready for the betrayal of his slave. Patrick struck, catching his master's arms and binding them behind his back as he sank his teeth into his master's neck. Vampyric strength was simply a multiplication of the human's physical prowess before the change. Arthur had been a rich, elegant man. He had never needed to prove his power physically for he'd been one of America's Princes in the 1920s when he'd been embraced. Patrick had been an athlete; he'd had a strong body before his change. Though a Master was stronger than a Neophyte, the relative difference of their original strengths and the pure rage the fueled Pat's efforts held Arthur fast.

Pat drank of his master's blood. It empowered him, lit his brain and made his heart race. He felt his prey struggle against him, but he would not yield his hold. Pat latched in with his fangs and drained his prey.

Mike hit the floor for only moments before he was back in the air and landing on the upper level. The other man, the one who had been on the floor when Mike had first tried to save Jase, was struggling with the one who had thrown him away like a discarded tissue. Mike wasn't sure what to do.

Mira got to the top of the stairs as the panic and screaming erupted throughout the club. Jase was on the floor with blood pooling beneath him. Patrick was fighting with another vampyr, a master vampyr. Mira could tell vampyrs on sight; most people, even mages, couldn't. Mira could only be amazed. Mira realized Patrick's compulsion to save Jase had not been a one-time thing. Regardless, if he were to take his master's life blood, he would slip beyond them and would become a full vampyr. Even his compulsion to protect Jase would not stop him from killing them.

She raised her hands. "Creature of darkness, lord of the night, be consumed by your evil and be gone from my sight." Her power erupted from her like a wave from the deep sea. It crashed upon the vampyrs, throwing them apart. Patrick tumbled to the floor, but the master vampyr was engulfed in her magick. The spell wrapped about him and bit into his flesh like a ravenous mist of death. Mira realized the spell came from Mary's arsenal of dark magicks she had inherited. She almost ended the spell in revulsion, but she knew she couldn't let the vampyr live.

The blood-mist fed upon the vampyr as he collapsed, gasping as his life was drawn from him. He convulsed and howled, his fangs biting at the air as he struggled to find a way to survive. He couldn't, and in the end he convulsed one last time and let out a sigh as his body gave out. As the spell faded, Mira saw Mike staring at her in horror. She knew she would have some explaining to do.

Mike frowned at Patrick as the man rocked back and forth with his knees pulled to his chest. Pat was feeling the solid beginnings of the withdrawals. It'd been nearly thirty-two hours since Arthur's last embrace. He'd made it seventy-hours before he'd cracked the last time. Jase had lost a lot of blood in one night; he'd been drugged not twice but by three different toxins; the man he claimed was his friend had saved him twice but also had drugged him and put him in danger. Mike wasn't sure what to think of the vampyr that was trying to wrap himself into progressively tighter balls.

Mira was another matter that Mike was not ready to address. He'd gone from wanting to pull her from the dance floor and finding a place to consummate their passions to looking upon her as the vilest thing he'd ever encountered. The emotional swings were weighing on him as he finished purging Jase's body of the remains of the toxins. The master vampyr's saliva had been the hardest.

He caught Mira's nervous glances. She was keeping watch of everything, and he could feel she was torn. With a slow exhale Mike released his blocks. I'm sorry, Mira. I wasn't ready to see that.

Mira looked up, her eyes glossed with tears. I didn't even think about it, Mike; I just used the magick that Mary left with me. It scares me how easy it came, Mike; I'm scared I'll become like her.

Moving from the table, Mike wrapped his arms around her and rocked her as she cried. "You won't. You have us; Mary didn't have anyone. We'll make it work, Mira." He whispered his love into her hair and let her cry.

Pat watched everything through the growing distortion of the need for his fix. He had to get out. If he stayed too long the smell of blood would drive him to do things he didn't want to do. Jase was his only friend; he'd betrayed him. He had to leave.

Mike lifted his head as Pat slid of the counter and started for the door. "Where are you going?"

Pat could feel himself shaking. "I have to leave."

"Why?"

Pat tried to keep his thoughts focused, but it was hard. "That toxin you purged from Jase? It's in me too. The difference is; I'm addicted. If I don't get a fix soon I'll start going nuts, thirsting for anything to cut the cravings. I'll start going blood hungry. I've got to get out of here before I do something to hurt Jase."

"You're not going anywhere." They both looked at the table, where Jase was slowly trying to sit up. "I went to a lot of trouble to find you; I'm not going to let you walk out that door."

Pat snarled. "You can't stop me."

Jase's fingers flexed, and Pat felt himself rise from the floor. "Yes, I can."

That was all Pat needed to be pushed over the edge. He howled in frustration, snapped his fangs and clawed at the air. It didn't do him any good, but it was impressive to watch. His raging lasted for a good ten minutes before he curled around himself from another withdrawal spasm and started to weep.

Jase hurt from watching Pat. Pat had been such a desperate, loving young man. Jase had been getting off the streets about the time Pat had started. He'd even hired Pat more than once when the boy had been in bad straights. It might have been possible they could have even developed a relationship if Jase hadn't met with Mike so soon after he'd saved Pat from the incubus. He felt guilty that he hadn't even thought about Pat since Mike had returned to his life. In a way, he felt like he'd let Pat down.

"Mike, can't you do something?" Jase's pain at watching Pat cracked his voice.

"He's a vampire, Jase. You know, 'undead'?"

Mira shook her head. "No, Pat's a neophyte. Morg would call him a 'first stage' vampyr. What most people think of 'vampires' is a 'second stage' vampyr. From there, you have a 'third stage' or master vampyr. I've heard rumors there are fourth stage vampyrs but Morg says they are myths... that there are only three stages, and what some label as 'fourth stage' are just masters who had mage and were-servants to feed upon."

Mike sighed. Something about Pat bothered him. He wanted to think it was the fact the guy was a vampire, or "vampyr", and a blood-sucking killer; he knew it wasn't. He saw it in how the guy looked at Jase and in Jase's eyes. They'd been more than friends; how much more Mike was scared to find out. "Ok, put him on the table." He looked at Jase as his husband slid carefully to his feet. "Don't let him bite me."

Jase nodded. He could feel Mike's worry about Jase's convictions. "Count on it. If it comes down to you getting hurt, Mike, there won't be any doubt which way I'd go." I married you, Mike. You don't have any reason to be jealous.

That stunned him. Mike hadn't even thought he was jealous, but he was. He also felt threatened. Mira had been difficult to accept, but she was a part of him as much as Jase was. Patrick was an unknown. He was a danger in more than just physical harm; he had ties into Jase's heart and past. Mike wondered if they wouldn't regret them later.

Pat floated to the table and Jase held him softly but firmly with his magick. Pat couldn't decide if he felt protected or betrayed. He didn't want to leave; he didn't want to be alone again; but he also didn't want to be forced to do anything anymore. He was tired of being the victim.

Mike brought his hands to Pats face, stroking his aura as he tried to figure out what he was dealing with. Pat wasn't human, or at least he wasn't completely human, but he wasn't "the living dead" either. Because he had already worked on Jase, Mike was able to isolate the remnants of the master vampyr's toxins. He would have to purge them and force Pat through the withdrawals and recovery in one move. The stuff had latched into the man's biology like a parasite, and he wasn't even sure he could keep Pat together when he tried.

"Jase, I don't know what will happen when I do this." Mike's doubts clouded his eyes. "I know he's your friend, but I can't promise..."

Jase leaned over and rubbed his cheek against Mike's. His confidence and love flowed through the simple touch. I know, Mike. I believe in you; I always will.

Mike touched Pat's forehead and sent his power in to sooth the man. Pat relaxed, his body unclenching as he sank against the table. Mike looked into Pat's eyes. "This is going to hurt Pat, like nothing you've ever felt before. I won't give up if you won't."

Pat looked at Jase. Jase trusted Mike; Jase loved Mike. It was obvious just seeing them together that they were meant for each other. A part of him wanted to curl up and die; Jase had been the one faint flicker of hope he'd had. He was still there, but their future was not going to happen. He looked back into Mike's eyes and nodded. It felt like white-hot fire was boiling through him as Mike's magick scoured away the toxins, rebuilt his systems and wiped out his addiction in one crash of power. Pat screamed; his inhuman cry nearly shattered the glass in the room as Jase and Mira covered their ears.

As promised, Mike stayed with him. He wouldn't let Pat go as his body tried to give out. They went through three restarts together before the magick finally held. Pat found himself curled up and crying, having convulsed off the table, but being held by two strong, and caring arms. He held on. No one had stayed with him through withdrawals before Jase; Jase had done it twice. Though this time had only lasted a few minutes, Pat knew that if he'd had to, Mike would have stayed with him for days.

He pulled himself together and sat away from the larger man. He couldn't meet his eyes. "Thank you."

He didn't look up as Jase knelt down in front of him and pulled him into his arms. Just the feel of him was enough to unhinge the last of his resistance. He'd really loved Jase. Pat wept into Jase's shoulder. "I waited. I waited so long... you didn't come back."

Jase was crying too. He'd been Pat's protector for years. He'd tried to clean him up and get him off the streets, but Jase hadn't managed to really give up the streets himself. They were mirror images of one another, kindred souls, but Jase had magick and wealth to pull him through. Pat had nothing but their friendship. He'd completely forgotten him when he found Mike and they'd survived his mother's madness. He'd had his own problems, and Pat was left to fend for himself. "I'm sorry, Pat. I'm so sorry..."

Mira hugged Mike as they watched the men cry out their suffering. Mike realized that Jase had touched so many more lives than he'd given him credit for. He'd lived a life that Mike hadn't been brave enough to ask about. He took strength in Mira's closeness and let his own fears wash away. He wouldn't hide from it any longer; it was time they opened up the closets and got things out before it was too late.

Larry Manzki frowned as he finished his sweep of the Steward townhouse. The house itself was clean, but he'd found taps in the corner junction box as well as miniature surveillance systems in several excellent locations around the property. Jase would not be pleased. The level of sophistication of the technology used was even better than he could get his hands on; it was black ops grade.

He packed up his things and settled into his van to type up his report. He loved his mobile office; Jase had purchased it for him as payment for the Saint Brigid's job. He had also been put on permanent retainer with the Steward-Castanio estate. It was the perfect business relationship, and he was pissed to find that someone had slipped past his notice. It took nearly an hour for him to compile his notes and head over to Cognitions.

Jase looked over the railing as Larry stepped in. "That was fast."

Larry nodded. "I'll be calling in a few favors to get a better team out to check the place again. The people watching you have money, connections and some damn good agents." He climbed the stairs, crossed the balcony and sank into one of the armchairs in the lounge. "This is heavy shit, Jase. Care to let me know what you did to get on the international map?"

Frowning, Jase took the report from Larry's outstretched hand. "I exist." He skimmed over the summary page and then tossed it to Terry. "Someone's got a hard on to kill off magick-born, Larry. The body count we know of totals three mages dead and fifteen normals who knew them."

Larry whistled. "I take it the police don't know of the connection."

Jase laughed. "Yeah, right. They'd have to acknowledge that there is magic in the world before they could put down someone as waging war on a 'magical people'."

"So, what do you want me to do from here?" He pulled out a small pocket pad and flipped to a blank page.

"Everything and anything. Internet searches, associations, key players, major contributors, if someone has a mole on his ass I want to know."

Nodding, Larry jotted some notes. "And 'Change Ministries' is a key player?"

"Yeah, that much I'm a hundred percent certain of." Mira may have had serious misgivings about her methods, but Jase had no doubts of the accuracy of her information.

Terry frowned. "They have access to real pros too. I went back over the logs of the computers from Magitech. We had a triple encryption on our data, and the assholes were able to break through two layers. They couldn't break the last layer because it wasn't actually an encryption; it was a mystery spell that scrambles data to make it impossible to recover without the counter spell."

Jase smirked. "That's a neat trick; who came up with that?"

"It's one of mine actually." Smiling, Terry laced his fingers together and brought his index fingers to his lips. "Anything they pulled will be garbage. I'm still pissed they could get past the first layers to make the copies."

"Let's hope they don't have a way to undo the spell."

Terry laughed. "No fucking way. The data was scrambled in the copy. The spell isn't on the data but was on the equipment at Magitech. As long as the spell was functioning, which it was, the data they pulled would be useless."

"What were they going for?"

"Customer accounts and shipping records it looked like. Probably figured that if they could find out whom our customers were they would have a list of the most elite mages on the planet."

Jase nodded. "They would."

Terry frowned. "I still can't believe a tele-ministry would have access to technology like this." He scrutinized the burned out spy camera. "This shit is really cutting edge."

"That's what I'm supposed to find out." Larry rose and slipped his pad back in his pocket. "I'll be in touch in a few days. If you don't hear from me you had better check on why. With players like this I think regular contact is prudent."

Terry eyed Jase nervously. "What about Mike and Mira? They're still doing their regular routines."

"Best thing to do, Terry. Mira summoned several guardian spirits to protect us and even called in a favor or two from the Fae. We have more metaphysical eyes watching our backs than the Pope. The only people we haven't gone to are the vamps and the lycanthropes." Jase pondered. "I wouldn't mind help from a lycanthrope clan. I only met one when I was working the street." Jase grinned. "Oh gods, he knew how to fuck."

Larry cringed. "TMI Jase. I know your history, but I don't need a blow by blow dissertation." Jase raised an eyebrow, and Terry choked. Larry frowned at both of them. "No pun intended."

Terry looked at Jase in horrified fascination. "Did he?" He waved his fingers theatrically in front of his face.

"Shift?" Jase wiggled his eyebrows. "Let's just say that I got a whole new appreciation for fur."

"I'm out of here." Larry descended the stairs as Jase laughed. "I'll call you in two days."

"Thanks, Larry. Be careful."

"Count on it."

Terry still couldn't believe what he'd heard. "You're kidding."

Jase leaned closer and flashed Terry a wicked smile. "Nathaniel gave the term 'doggie style' a whole new meaning for me."

Pat slipped down from the supports of the rebuilt roof and shook his head. "I remember Nathan, he was the big, burly redhead?"

Terry cringed. He still wasn't comfortable with having a vampyr in the sanctum. Jase vouched for Pat, so Terry accepted him as one of the "good guys", but he'd never dealt with any supernatural beings before.

"Yeah, dark auburn. Great, hard muscles, Irish accent and a growling voice that could make your insides quiver." Jase took a deep breath, remembering their one night of hot, animal sex. "He wasn't a little leaguer, but when he shifted we were in a whole new ball game." Jase grinned. "He'd make a size queen out of about anyone."

Pat frowned. "Why didn't you ever share any of the really good ones?"

Jase laughed. "Oh, you think you'd have been prepared to fuck werewolves a few years ago? Before your change?"

Pat sighed. "No, but you always did get the best johns." Looking back at Jase, he smiled. "And for the record, you do have vampyr help."

"I know, but I thought it was best not to give Larry all the details. There are some things 'normals' just don't need to know."

Terry was still processing it all. He'd lived his whole life in love with George; all the frighteningly erotic images that he was getting from the discussion were a bit much. He looked back at the two blondes. "Did you two ever," he made a nervous gesture to emphasize his meaning, "you know?"

Pat laughed and looked at Jase appreciatively. He'd probably always love the man, but he could accept that they'd only be very intimate friends. "Yeah, some of the best sex I've ever had."

Jase smiled. "You lie so nicely, Pat. Are you sure you didn't inherit a forked tongue along with those fangs?"

Pat licked his lips. "You already know about the tongue, Jase. I really don't want to piss off Mike."

Jase shuddered. Pat's kiss was still vivid in his memory. If he wasn't bound to two people he loved more than life, he'd have enjoyed experiencing the kiss again. "What are you going to do to sustain yourself Pat? You need to feed soon."

Pat shrugged. "Pick up a date, make out, fuck him blind and leave a few deeper love bites than normal. Our saliva also helps with the healing process. By morning, the lucky guy will have had the best sex of his life and will have no more than a hang over."

Terry frowned. "You've done that before?"

Nodding, Pat smiled. "I've managed to keep from a rampage for nine months, guys. That was with the addiction of Arthur's embrace. Without that to worry about, I think I can handle being moderate with my feeding."

Jase sighed. "I know, Pat. I want you home by dawn."

Pat smiled. "That's really weird, Jase."

Terry shook his head. "I think 'really weird' is normal for him. He's got a husband and a wife, a gay roommate living up the hall and a vampyr in the basement. He's co-owner of a metaphysical resource center, and he's the head of a multi-million dollar corporation. I don't think he would know 'normal' if it bit him in the ass."

Jase laughed. "At least I'm never boring."

Pat grinned. "Nope, never once."