A Bite of Fulfillment

Into the paranormal world: It’s all fun and games until
someone’s life is threatened.

Adalric Bachmeier is the leader of his vampire coven and not
accustomed  to  being  patient,  but  to  win  his  beloved’s
affection,  he  tries  to  be  just  that.  Unfortunately,  time  runs
out too soon. Adalric can’t put off returning to his coven, as
well  as  his  duties,  any  longer,  and  he  plans  to  take  Seth
Goodwin with him, willingly or not.

Seth never would have believed that creatures of myth

and  legend  existed.  Coming  face  to  face  with  a  vindictive,
bloodthirsty  vampire  opens  his  eyes  real  quick  to  a  whole
new  set  of  evils  in  the  world.  He  can’t  figure  out  why
Adalric continues with his overtures of friendship, especially
when he’s been nothing but rude and cold to the guy. After
all, Seth wants nothing to do with a vampire.

Adalric insists that Seth must go with him to his coven,

and he uses the guise of marking him as taken—making him
off-limits  to  other  vampires—to  finally  sink  his  fangs  into
the  human.  Even  though  Seth  finds  great  pleasure  in
Adalric’s  arms,  when  the  truth  of  their  relationship  comes
out, will their fragile bond withstand the tension? Or will it
snap, sending Seth running?

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are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or
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A Bite of Fulfillment

ISBN: 978-1-77111-607-7

Cover art by Scott Carpenter

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Chapter One

dalric leaned a shoulder against the stone wall, keeping
himself in the shadows of the alcove. In silence, he

watched  his  beloved,  Seth  Goodwin,  talking  quietly  with
Bobby  Truman.  He  knew  Seth  and  Bobby  had  dated  for  a
time,  but  that  was  before  Bobby  had  mated  with  the
gargoyle  leader  Maelgwn  and  became  a  target  for  a  rogue
vampire.

Seth had tracked Bobby down to apologize for some

behavior  or  other,  and  had  also  run  afoul  of  the  sadistic
bastard. Unfortunately, that  introduction to the paranormal
world  hadn’t  put  vampires  in  a  very  good  light  for  Seth,
making it difficult for Adalric to get close to the human.

He could have listened in on their conversation, but from

the way Seth frowned and motioned with his hands, it was
probably just another attempt to convince Bobby to escape
with him. Escape from these monsters seemed to be a recurring
theme for the man, and listening to his pig-headedness only
frustrated Adalric.

For someone who faced persecution because of his sexual

orientation, Seth seemed to be the most prejudiced human
Adalric had ever met. He constantly reminded himself that
Seth hadn’t met paranormals under the best conditions—
running for his life from a rogue vampire bent on draining
him dry would freak anyone out.

Except, after living in the gargoyle’s home for nearly two

weeks, Adalric couldn’t figure out why Seth didn’t realize

Charlie Richards

that just like there were good humans and bad humans,
there were good and bad vampires.

Adalric smirked at that thought, since he hadn’t

considered himself good for at least a century. Just as quickly,
he sobered. Now, he had to find a way to convince the wary
human that not all vampires were like that. If only he could
figure out a way to show Seth how much pleasure he could
give him. Humans always came around once they realized
how much pleasure was involved, didn’t they?

A large shadow darkened the alcove where he stood.

Adalric looked left and discovered Maelgwn watching him,
the gargoyle’s brow ridge creased in concern. “Any luck?”
the massive chieftain asked, crossing his heavily muscled,
dark blue arms over his equally impressive chest.

Adalric snorted. “Why, yes. That’s why I’m over here and

Seth is over there trying to once again convince Bobby to run
away from us.”

“He’s what?” Maelgwn rumbled, glaring at the pair.
Now Bobby stood with one hand on his hip while making

small gestures with the other as he spoke. Seth frowned,
clearly not liking Bobby’s words, and Bobby glared right
back at him.

Rolling his eyes, Adalric stated dryly, “Please, as if

anything in this world could make Bobby leave you. The
human is so hopelessly in love with you, it’s almost
nauseating to watch.” He curved the corner of his mouth so
Maelgwn knew he teased.

Maelgwn grinned unabashedly. “Yep, just as it should

be.”

Adalric sighed. As it should be. Yes, beloveds should feel

that way about each other. Unfortunately, if he couldn’t
even get Seth to have a decent conversation with him, they’d
never get to that point.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“I’m sorry,” Maelgwn said. The gargoyle gripped

Adalric’s slender shoulder in one clawed hand. “It’ll happen.
Just give it time. Surely, he’ll come around.”

“One can only hope,” Adalric murmured. Hope was

pretty much the only thing he did have right now. He
certainly hadn’t made any progress.

“Look, I came to find you because you received a call

from Edwin. He says he needs to speak to you as soon as
possible,” Maelgwn told him.

Adalric nodded. “I’d best call him back then.”
He pushed away from the wall and headed along the

garden  walk  toward  the  door.  Choosing  a  route  that  took
him  close  to  the  talking  humans  on  purpose,  Adalric  drew
nearer to his beloved. The scent of the man’s blood called to
him.  Although  a  vampire  couldn’t  be  one  hundred  percent
certain  of  their  beloved  until  they’d  tasted  their  blood,
Adalric  would  bet  his  left  fang  that  he  was  correct  in  his
assertion that Seth was his.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” Adalric greeted as he

neared.  He  spotted  the  stiffening  of  Seth’s  shoulders,
proving  he’d  heard  him  speak,  but  he  didn’t  turn  to  face
him.  Adalric  barely  controlled  his  desire  to  demand  his
beloved’s attention.

“Hey, Adalric,” Bobby said, turning and smiling at him.

“Are you enjoying the gardens?”

Adalric stopped, smiling at the small human. Standing

barely  five  foot  eight,  with  a  slender  frame  and  short  dark
hair,  when  Bobby  stood  beside  his  seven-foot-tall  gargoyle
mate,  their  differences  really  stood  out.  However,  it  was
their personalities that truly contrasted…in the best possible
ways.  Where  Maelgwn  was  serious  and  reserved,  Bobby
nearly  bubbled  with  vitality  and  his  love  for  life.  Adalric
thought they made a good match.

Charlie Richards

“Yes,” Adalric answered, returning his focus where it

belonged. “I find I don’t often have time to simply relax like
this at home. I’m enjoying taking advantage of the
opportunity.”

Finally, Seth turned to face Adalric. “You don’t have a

garden at home?” he asked, his curiosity evidently getting
the better of him.

The recipient of Seth’s hazel-eyed stare, Adalric’s breath

caught in his throat. His beloved was finally talking to him.
For just a second, he found himself speechless. Not wanting
to miss this opportunity, Adalric forced his tongue to work.

Adalric smiled at Seth, careful to keep his fangs hidden. “I

live  on  the  outskirts  of  Santa  Fe  in  New  Mexico.  Although
we do have gardens, I find I don’t have much time to enjoy
them.  There  always  seems  to  be  something  else  to  deal
with.”  Holding  the  other  man’s  gaze,  he  asked,  “Do  you
enjoy the gardens?”

“They’re all right,” Seth responded.
“Whatever, Seth,” Bobby cut in. “You love these gardens.

You’ve got the greenest thumb of any man I’ve ever met.”

So, his beloved enjoyed gardening. Interesting. He

wondered  about  the  state  of  the  gardens  at  his  coven’s
home.  Adalric  really  couldn’t  remember  the  last  time  he’d
ventured  through  them.  He  just  assumed  their  gardener,
Xavier Agueda, kept them in pristine order.

Still… “Perhaps I could entice you to review my own

gardens. Maybe you’d have some ideas to improve them,”
Adalric offered.

Seth crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. “Can’t

really see how I’d ever end up out there.” His focus slid
away as he looked over Adalric’s shoulder.

Just like that, Adalric seemed to lose Seth’s attention, and

a fresh wave of irritation swept over him. Damn it! What
must I do to connect with this man?

A Bite of Fulfillment

Years of controlling his emotions gave Adalric the ability

to appear calm when he felt anything but. “Perhaps I’ll have
the  opportunity  to  change  your  mind,”  Adalric  responded,
keeping  his  smile  firmly  in  place.  Not  wanting  to  hear  a
rebuttal  of  any  sort,  Adalric  nodded  to  them  and  started
moving. “Gentlemen.”

Several yards away, Adalric heard Bobby hiss, “You jerk.

Everyone has been walking on eggshells around you. Would
it kill you to be polite?”

“I don’t want to be here, Bobby,” Seth snapped back. “I

want to go home, and I’ll be as unpleasant as possible until
they let me leave.”

“You’re just making yourself miserable,” Bobby

responded, his tone almost sad. “These are good people.”

Adalric stepped into the house, closing the door behind

him and cutting off anything else that he would say. He felt
like he was getting nowhere with the man. Putting the
problem out of his mind for the moment, he strode through
the mansion to his suite of rooms. He picked up his cell
phone from the desk and dialed Edwin’s number.

He thought it odd his coven enforcer would contact him

instead of his second. He’d spoken to Daystrum every day
for the past two weeks, keeping apprised of what was going
on in his coven. His inner circle were the only ones who
knew the real reason Adalric had not yet returned—because
he was trying to woo his beloved—and failing miserably.

“Hello?”
Edwin’s greeting refocused Adalric. “Hello, Edwin. I

received word you were looking for me.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry to interrupt, but…”
Adalric frowned. He could hear the worry in Edwin’s

voice. Rarely did anything concern the large vampire. It’s
what made him such a fantastic enforcer. “Edwin…tell me
what’s wrong.”

Charlie Richards

“I must respectfully request your return, sir,” came his

surprising response. “Daystrum was attacked last night. We
don’t know who did it. He barely survived, and if Spieron
hadn’t heard the scuffle, he wouldn’t have,” Edwin added.

“Damn,” Adalric whispered. It seemed he’d just run out

of time, but why would someone attack his second-in-
command? “Who knows about this?”

“Me, Spieron, Darian, and Melissa,” Edwin answered.
“Hmm,” Adalric murmured.
Darian was Daystrum’s brother, and one of the best

trackers  Adalric  had  ever  seen.  He  knew  the  vampire  was
completely  trustworthy,  happy  with  his  position  in  the
coven, and he respected his brother. Melissa was their coven
doctor—had  been  for  the  last  thirty-plus  years.  She’d  take
good care of Daystrum.

Spieron, on the other hand, had joined his coven less than

a  decade  ago  after  getting  into  some  trouble  with  his  last
one.  He’d  evidently  fed  from  someone  he  shouldn’t  have,
and  his  prior  coven’s  second  had  taken  offense.  The
offended vampire had convinced their leader to banish him.
The guy was pretty self-contained, a loner, but Adalric had
never caught him in a lie.

Was Spieron part of the group who’d attacked Daystrum

and perhaps gotten cold feet? Or was he really just in the
right place at the right time?

Adalric knew one thing for certain. It was time to return.
“I’ll contact you as soon as I’m on the road,” he told him.

“In the meantime, keep an eye on Spieron and watch out for
anyone who’s acting suspiciously.” He knew it was
redundant to bother telling Edwin, but his need to control
was too ingrained.

“Yes, sir.”
“And keep Darian from doing anything stupid. The fewer

people who know, the better,” Adalric decided. “Maybe we

A Bite of Fulfillment

can catch someone spreading rumors or asking questions
they shouldn’t.”

“Right, um…will you be bringing your beloved?” Edwin

asked, lowering his voice.

“Yes.”
“Shall I prepare a room for him?”
Although he’d much prefer Seth in his own bed, Adalric

knew the human would not appreciate the heavy-handed
tactic. As it was, he’d have to use a bit of subterfuge to get
him to come with him.

“We’ll put him in the blue room,” Adalric ordered. “And

I want it redecorated.” He gave his enforcer quick specifics
of what he wanted.

“Yes, sir.”
“If anything changes, contact me.” Without waiting for a

response, Adalric disconnected the call. He stood still, his
phone clenched in his fist for several minutes. Although
Edwin would never say it, Adalric hadn’t missed the man’s
quick intake of breath upon Seth’s bedroom assignment.

The blue room was right next door to Adalric’s, separated

by  closets  with  connecting  doors.  His  placement  would  be
the  talk  of  the  coven,  and  would  instantly  mark  Seth  as
Adalric’s.  It  wouldn’t  take  long  for  Seth  to  hear  the  news,
either,  not  with  the  way  the  humans  who  lived  with  them
and shared the vampires’ beds gossiped.

And he knew a couple of the humans would not be

happy.

About a dozen humans lived with his coven and fed his

people, swapping beds and partners at liberty. They enjoyed
the  thrill  of  a  vampire  biting  them,  and  the  pleasure  that
vampire  could  give  them.  Unfortunately,  two  of  the
humans—Jason  and  Chad—had  become  rather  attached  to
Adalric, although he’d never intentionally led them on.

Charlie Richards

The two men seemed to think he’d choose one of them to

bond  with,  elevating  their  status  in  the  group.  As  soon  as
Adalric  had  heard  the  rumors  two  months  before,  he’d
stopped  feeding  from  either  man,  no  matter  how  they’d
thrown  themselves  at  him.  He’d  even  ordered  them
banished from his wing of the home after they’d turned up
in his bed uninvited.

It was a day after that particular incident that the

Vampire  Council  had  contacted  him  and  sent  him  here  to
investigate  crimes  brought  against  Damune,  a  vampire
harassing  the  gargoyle  clutch.  He  hadn’t  been  back  home
since  and  worried  at  the  fallout  upon  his  return—with  his
reluctant beloved in tow.

Seeing no way around the possibly explosive upcoming

encounters, Adalric decided he’d best get the first one out of
the way now.

Time to seduce my beloved.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Chapter Two

eth glared at Bobby. “Look, you might be okay with
hanging around with these…men, but I’m not.” He just

managed  to  keep  from  calling  them  creatures,  but  from
Bobby’s  scowl,  Seth  figured  that  Bobby  knew  he’d  thought
it.  Who  could  blame  him?  They  really  were  creatures!  “I
want to go home and forget the whole thing.”

In fact, now that he knew shape shifters existed and made

up a number of residents in Colin City where he lived, Seth
planned to move. He’d move somewhere he didn’t know
anyone, then pretend this never happened.

Bobby’s expression turned pensive, and he opened his

mouth, then snapped it shut. Seth’s eyes narrowed. He knew
that look. Bobby had something to say and he wasn’t certain
Seth would like it.

He’d dated Bobby for months before Bobby had taken up

with  the  gargoyle.  To  be  fair,  Seth  hadn’t  been  the  best
boyfriend.  He’d  turned  a  blind  eye  to  the  shit  his  buddies
were putting Bobby through. Seth felt guilty about that, but
since he couldn’t go back and change the past, he just had to
live  with  the  knowledge…and  hopefully  learn  from  the
experience.

“What?” Seth asked warily.
“Um, well…” Bobby nibbled his lip and wouldn’t meet

his gaze.

Charlie Richards

Crossing his arms over his chest, Seth steeled himself for

more bad news. “Well?”

Finally, Bobby blurted, “You holed up in your room for

weeks and refused to see anyone or talk to anyone but me.
Then, when you didn’t show up for work, your boss had
your coworker, Grant, go to your house. You were reported
as missing and people were out looking for you, so Maelgwn
and Adalric had to decide what to do.”

Seth’s heart pounded in his chest, not liking where this

was going. After swallowing hard, he softly asked, “What
did they do?”

“They reported you dead…died in the car crash that

totaled your truck,” Bobby whispered. He flicked his gaze
from Seth’s face to the garden around him, then to Seth
again, as if uncertain where to look.

A shudder worked through Seth as shock and disbelief

coursed through him. “What?” he gasped.

Bobby reached out and laid his hand on Seth’s arm. “I’m

so sorry.”

“Oh, God, I—” Seth’s heart pounded hard in his chest.

Even  if  somehow,  he  got  away,  he  didn’t  have  a  life  to  go
back to. Wait, surely, there was a way to get something like
that  reversed,  right?  He  could  do  it.  Prove  that  he’s  still
living.  But  how  would  he  explain  his  absence  without
revealing  the  existence  of  gargoyles  and  vampires?  People
wouldn’t believe that anyway. He’d end up in a strait jacket
in a loony bin somewhere.

Each thought chased the other through his mind and he

could feel his head start to swim.

“Just breathe. It’ll be okay.” Bobby’s voice seemed to

reach him from a long way off.

Realizing he held his breath, Seth opened his mouth and

sucked in a lungful of life giving oxygen. He focused on

A Bite of Fulfillment

taking one breath at a time, and slowly the spots cleared. He
still felt disconnected, though, as if his brain had shut off.

“I’m going back to my room,” he mumbled, pulling away

from Bobby and striding down the path.

Except, instead of going inside, Seth wandered deeper

into the gardens. He took solace in the flowers, enjoying
their fragrance and vibrant colors. He didn’t let himself
think about how his life had irrevocably changed. For now,
the flowers were enough.

Seth wouldn’t have been able to tell anyone how long he

walked, his mind adrift. Eventually, he came across a section
of freshly tilled earth. Pink and yellow posies still in their
little plastic cartons spread out along the empty bed. A
trowel lay nearby.

He dropped to his knees and started planting. It didn’t

matter that he was doing someone else’s chore, all Seth cared
about was sinking his hands into the cool, damp earth and
taking control of something…the flower arrangement.

Bobby had been right. Seth was a closet gardener. He had

a small garden on his balcony and loved tending it. Except,
now…even that was gone, wasn’t it? What would happen to
his plants? Seth hoped someone took the time to find them a
new home.

A shadow darkening the edge of the bed finally pulled

Seth out of his gardening-induced stupor. Sitting on his
knees, Seth tilted his head back and found Adalric staring
down at him. Damn, what could the vampire possibly want now?

For a moment, neither said anything, and Seth took the

opportunity  to  truly  assess  the  man.  Adalric  wore  his  dark
hair  cut  short.  Coupled  with  his  strong  jaw,  high
cheekbones, and thin eyebrows, Adalric appeared every bit
the  distinguished  businessman.  His  slender  body  probably
looked amazing in a suit, especially if it were a bit rumbled
from a bit of play with a dirty firefighter.

Charlie Richards

That thought snapped Seth out of his musings. He

shouldn’t  be  thinking  that  way,  especially  about  a
paranormal…and a vampire, at that. Adalric had never been
his type anyway. Seth went for men smaller than he was. He
was  a  top,  so  even  if  Adalric  swung  his  way—which  was
unlikely—there’d  be  no  way  the  powerful  vampire  would
allow anyone to tap his ass.

Finally, Adalric moved, breaking whatever spell they’d

been under, and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Bobby
said you were probably still out here,” Adalric commented,
eyeing him steadily.

Seth shrugged, seeing as a response seemed redundant.
“I need to talk to you, Seth,” Adalric stated. “I need to

head back to my own people, and I need you to come with
me.”

That’s a lot of needs, he thought absently. Then Adalric’s

actual  words  sank  in.  Wait,  what?  “Why  would  I  go  with
you?”  That  came  out  harsher  than  he’d  intended,  but
considering  all  the  shit  thrown  at  him  over  the  last  couple
weeks, who could blame him.

“You’ll come with me because you can’t stay here.”

Adalric sounded so reasonable, as if the answer were simple.

Seth’s jaw dropped open in shock. “What? Why?” Then

he shook his head. “Wait, no. I don’t want to stay here. I want
to go home, but you’ve taken that away from me, too!” He
rose to his feet, brushing his hands on his jeans as he did so,
and pointed a finger at the man. “You had no right to
declare me legally dead!”

Adalric’s jaw tightened for just a second, and if Seth

hadn’t been staring right at his thin lips, he’d probably have
missed it. Wrenching his gaze away from the man’s mouth,
Seth lifted his focus to Adalric’s dark brown eyes.

His brows drawing together, Adalric’s nostrils flared as

he inhaled, slow and deep, probably trying to keep his cool.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“I know you don’t understand, and probably feel our ways
are  heavy-handed,  but  please  try  to  understand  that  as
leaders  among  our  people,  Maelgwn  and  I  have  to  look  at
the bigger picture.” Adalric’s tongue darted out, wetting his
bottom  lip.  He  seemed  to  be  trying  to  figure  out  his  next
words.

Seth beat him to it. Glaring, he stated, “So you just think

you can decide for everyone?”

“Yes,” Adalric replied almost instantaneously. Seth

gasped at his audacity, but he didn’t stop there. “My
people’s safety depends on my decisions, Seth, and I’ve been
around for over three centuries, over two of those centuries
as a coven leader.” He took a couple steps forward, closing
the distance between them. “I’ve seen a hell of a lot, and I’ve
earned the right to make those decisions. I’m sorry your life
is now being turned upside-down, but currently, you are
under my protection. That means you come with me.”

Good God! This guy is over three hundred years old? How old

can  vampires  get?  Seth  swallowed  hard  and  swept  his  gaze
over  him  again.  He  looks  good  for  an  old  man.  He  sighed,
turning away and focusing on the garden he’d been working
on.  Defeat  washed  over  him,  and  he  suddenly  felt
exhausted. “You’re not giving me a choice, are you?”

Adalric settled his hands on his shoulders, and Seth

tensed.  The  guy  squeezed  gently,  kneading  Seth’s  muscles
with surprising strength in his long, slender fingers. “I will
help  you  build  a  new  life,  Seth,”  Adalric  stated  softly,  his
breath  ghosting  over  Seth’s  ear,  telling  him  how  close  the
vampire truly stood.

Seth couldn’t stop the goose bumps from breaking over

his arms. “How…how are you going to do that?” He felt the
knots beginning to ease from his shoulders. For some reason,
Seth found Adalric’s touch oddly relaxing.

Charlie Richards

“We’ll discuss that later,” Adalric assured. “Right now,

I’m going to mark you, so everyone in my coven knows
you’re under my protection.”

All the tension Adalric had eased from him came rushing

back. “M-mark me? H-how?”

“I think you know the answer to that, Seth,” Adalric

countered, his tone dropping to a soft purr.

Something sharp scraped gently up Seth’s neck, making

him shiver. The soft, warm puffs of breath finally clued in
his brain that those were the vampire’s teeth! Seth
whimpered, although he’d deny it to his dying day.

“Easy now, Seth,” Adalric crooned. “You’ll be fine.” He

continued to massage Seth, although he moved his hands to
Seth’s upper arms, so he could continue laving his neck with
his tongue and teeth. “This won’t hurt for but a second.”

Seth had watched a vampire tear out his friend’s throat.

“Are you sure this is necessary?” He valued his life and
didn’t want to die.

“Oh, yes,” Adalric mumbled, his lips ghosting over Seth’s

skin, soaking it with saliva.

Praying Adalric would be careful, Seth tilted his head,

giving him more access. Maybe if he didn’t fight, Adalric
would get this over quickly.

“That’s the way,” Adalric urged. “I’ll take good care of

you.”

Seth thought that seemed an odd thing to say, but then

felt the prick of twin fangs sinking into his neck, causing him
to gasp. Just as suddenly, the pain morphed into the most
decadent sensation he’d ever experienced, and a line of fire
shot straight down his spine to boil in his balls, making his
testicles roll. In less than a second, he found himself harder
than nails.

A moan escaped him and he feared he’d come in his jeans

as each sucking pull on his neck felt better than a damn

A Bite of Fulfillment

Hoover on his dick. He throbbed, his pulse spiking and his
balls pulling tight against his body.

Adalric hummed against his neck, then reached around

and palmed Seth’s cock through his jeans. Seth shouted
hoarsely and bucked into Adalric’s hand, unable to censure
his movements. The vampire made quick work of Seth’s fly
and dipped his hand beneath his briefs. He gripped Seth’s
dick and pulled it free, stroking firmly.

Seth’s head lolled backward to rest against Adalric’s

shoulder.  Never  had  he  felt  anything  so  amazing.  Between
the  sucking  on  his  neck  and  the  hard  strokes  to  his  cock,
Seth’s  blood  pounded  through  his  veins  and  his  dick
twitched in Adalric’s grip. Panting, Seth rocked his hips into
the other man’s hold, desperately needing to come.

“Gonna come for me, Seth?” Adalric asked, his words

somewhat garbled.

Adalric swiped his thumb over Seth’s sensitive, leaking

cap, and that was all it took. Seth opened his mouth in a
silent scream as his balls unloaded, shooting his seed up and
out. The best orgasm he could ever remember bowled over
him, setting his senses reeling.

Panting hard, endorphins pinging through his system,

Seth felt Adalric gently remove his teeth, then lick his neck.
Seth shivered, his cock actually making an attempt to harden
again.

“Feel all right?” Adalric asked softly, a smile coloring his

voice.

“Oh, God, yes,” Seth muttered, somehow managing to

untie his tongue. “That was—that was amazing,” he
admitted.

“Good.”
Leaning against Adalric, Seth felt the hard ridge of the

vampire’s dick pressing against his ass. He swallowed hard,
trying to figure out what he was supposed to do now. Did

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Adalric expect him to offer him his ass? Because it would be
a cold day in hell before that would happen.

To Seth’s surprise, Adalric reached around and gently

tucked him in and righted his clothes before placing his
hands on Seth’s hips to steady him. He kissed Seth’s neck,
then eased away from him.

“You okay?”
Seth blinked, confused by Adalric’s sudden withdrawal.

Wait, wasn’t that what he wanted? Seth righted himself and
turned to face Adalric, sweeping a glance down his body
and seeing the man’s obvious bulge.

“I—yeah,” he finally murmured.
“Good.” Adalric smiled before reaching up and cupping

Seth’s cheek. To Seth’s shock, Adalric lowered his head the
couple inches difference in their heights and pressed his lips
to his own. Just as quickly, before Seth could even decide
what to do, Adalric lifted his head. “We need to get on the
road. My jet is waiting at the airport.”

Jet? Airport? Now? “What about you?” Seth asked before

his brain caught up with his mouth.

Adalric grinned. “Have no fear, Seth. I got what I

needed…for now.” He winked. Then, grabbing Seth’s hand,
led him away from the gardens.

As Seth followed meekly, he wondered if that was all

Adalric thought of him as…a food source. Then he
wondered why he even cared.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Chapter Three

ight hours later, the exquisite flavor of his beloved still
lingered on Adalric’s tongue. Seth tasted truly amazing,

better than he’d imagined. He’d desperately wanted to bend
the man over and fuck him senseless. Unfortunately, there
hadn’t been time, plus Adalric knew Seth wasn’t ready.

Patience wasn’t something Adalric was known for, but in

this case, he’d manage it. Adalric needed to woo his beloved
slowly, giving him pleasure and stability. He knew it would
just take time…and now that he’d tasted his beloved’s
blood, starting the bonding process, Adalric knew it would
be worth it.

They didn’t speak much during their travels, but now that

they were in the back of a limo, headed toward Adalric’s
coven, he knew he had to explain a couple things to the
human.

Adalric maneuvered around the limo until he sat next to

Seth,  who  continued  to  stare  at  his  Samsung  tablet  as  if  he
weren’t  there.  He  glanced  down  at  the  screen  and  saw  the
open  book  on  the  kindle  app.  After  two  minutes,  Seth  still
hadn’t turned the page.

Smiling, Adalric turned toward his beloved and settled

his left arm over the back of the seat behind his human. With
his right hand, he gently grasped the electronic device and
pulled. Evidently, that hadn’t been what Seth was expecting,
for the tablet easily slipped from the man’s grip.

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That didn’t stop him from snapping his head up and

glaring at Adalric, however. “Hey, what the hell? I was
reading that.”

Adalric smiled and lifted a brow, amused at his beloved’s

indignation. “Were you? What’s it about?”

Seth’s cheeks flushed and he scowled. “The damn book’s

about a guy who discovers a skeleton behind a wall in his
basement. There’s ghosts and stuff and—fuck, just give it
back.”

His brows shooting up, Adalric slowly handed the tablet

back.  “I’m  sorry.  You  hadn’t  turned  a  page  since  I  moved
next  to  you.  I  thought  perhaps  you  were  too  distracted  to
read,”  he  crooned,  running  his  right  hand  over  the  man’s
shoulder.

A rosy blush swept up Seth’s neck and he glared at his

electronic device. “I read a little slow, that’s all,” he
mumbled.

Ah, shit. Did I just touch a nerve? From the guy’s unfocused

death glare at the now blank screen and the way his heart
pounded, Adalric knew he had. He needed to do
something…quick.

“My apologies. I thought you were ignoring me, which is

something, I must admit, I find extremely irritating,” he told
him. If he shared a little of his own misgivings, perhaps he
could smooth things back over.

Seth nodded once, then admitted, “I was…sort of.” He

shot a disgruntled look Adalric’s way. “You’re not exactly
my favorite person right now,” he grumbled.

Forcing back a sigh, Adalric shrugged. He couldn’t

change the past, and wouldn’t, if he were honest with
himself. Everything that had happened had brought his
beloved to him. Now, it was his job to build a bond with the
stubborn human.

One step at a time.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Look, the reason I interrupted is because we will be

arriving at my home soon, and there are a few things I need
to explain,” Adalric said. He couldn’t help himself. Now that
he had Seth’s attention, those wary hazel eyes fixed on him,
Adalric really wanted to touch. Using his left hand where it
rested on the back of the seat behind Seth, he gently rubbed
his thumb over the bite mark he’d left hours before.

Seth shivered under his touch, blinking in surprise. He

licked  his  lips,  and  Adalric  watched  with  some  satisfaction
that  it  took  the  man  several  seconds  to  form  his  next
question. “What do I need to know? I don’t exactly want to
piss  anyone  off  and  get  my  throat  ripped  out.”  Now,  the
human’s  shiver  was  one  of  trepidation,  and  that  just
wouldn’t do at all.

A low growl rolled through Adalric’s chest before he

could stop it. A red haze slid over his vision at the very
thought of harm coming to his beloved. “If anyone dares
touch you, I will end them.”

With a shocked look, Seth leaned away from him and

hissed, “Your eyes.”

Adalric closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.

When he had himself back under control, he returned his
gaze to Seth. “My eyes shift to the equivalent of infrared
vision. It’s so we can see the body heat of our—” Oh, damn. I

really should have thought that comment out better.

“Your prey?” Seth asked, frowning.
“In essence, yes,” Adalric replied, figuring it was better to

get the truth out there now. He didn’t need anything else to
come around and bite him on the ass. When Seth didn’t
immediately respond, he decided to move forward. A glance
out the window told him he was running out of time, again.
“Look, I know you’re not happy about being here. I
understand that. But I am master of my coven, and because

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you are under my protection, you have a certain…duty…to
me.”

Seth’s blond brows drew down as he scowled at him.

“Like what? I gotta feed you now?”

“In part,” Adalric admitted, “but the truth is, you can’t

ignore me in public. If I talk to you, you respond. To ignore
me would be an insult, a…challenge to my leadership, and I
would need to punish you for that.” He tried to say the
words gently, to express the seriousness of the issue.

Eyes wide, mouth open, clearly shocked, it took a few

seconds for Seth to respond. Finally, he shook his head and
glared. “You’d punish me? How?”

Pinning him with a cool stare, Adalric lifted a brow and

asked, “Do you truly want to know? I tell you this so you
can avoid the situation.”

“Yeah,” Seth snapped. “Exactly how do you think you’d

punish me?”

Quick as lightning, Adalric lifted his free hand, wrapped

it around Seth’s neck while the other grasped his shoulder,
and used the loose hold to push him down so he lay across
the seat. He twisted his body and followed his beloved
down, easily pinning him, even with his leaner frame.

Although he stood a couple of inches taller than Seth, the

human  had  a  broader,  heavier  frame.  It  must  have  served
him  well  in  his  duties  as  a  firefighter.  Feeling  Seth’s  hard
muscles  and  firm  flesh  under  him—coupled  with  the  siren
call  of  the  human’s  blood—caused  Adalric’s  body  to  react
predictably. It took every ounce of control he’d learned over
his centuries of life to keep from springing an erection and
sinking his fangs into his beloved’s neck.

“That attitude right there is unacceptable when we are not

alone, Seth,” Adalric warned in a chilly tone. If the only way
to get his beloved to understand the seriousness of this
conversation was to use force, he’d do it. “Belligerence is not

A Bite of Fulfillment

acceptable. You will obey me in public. Grievances will be
revealed in private, and we will adjust our behavior
accordingly.”

He pierced the human he hoped to make his—in every

sense of the word—with a hard stare. “This is not
negotiable.”

Seth’s Adam’s apple bobbed under Adalric’s fingers, and

he  found  himself  stroking  that  lump  softly,  almost  as  if
petting the man would clear the fear from his expression and
scent.  Adalric  hadn’t  wanted  the  conversation  to  go  this
way,  but—he  shut  down  that  line  of  thought  and  waited,
continuing the subtle caress.

“Will you—will you at least tell me what the punishment

is?” Seth whispered.

Adalric had to hand it to the man for his persistence. “It

would depend on the situation and what had happened. It
could be anything from me sending you to our chambers, to
me laying you across my knee and spanking you in front of
my coven.” Adalric prayed he wouldn’t have to do anything
worse, so didn’t mention the possibility.

“You’d spank me?” Seth’s gasp sounded more outraged

than shocked. “I’m not into that kind of…thing.”

“Good,” Adalric replied. “It’ll be better incentive to stay

in line.”

“Wait, did you say our chambers?”
Adalric lifted a brow, just stopping himself from

grimacing. Damn, he had said that. “You’re staying in my
wing of the mansion, so yes, our chambers,” he amended.

“Fine,” Seth grumbled. “I’ll stay in line. You won’t even

know I’m around.” He wriggled a bit, trying to get out from
under Adalric.

He tightened his grip for just a second because he really

enjoyed lying across the human, even if he had to keep his
body in check. He wanted to tell Seth that hiding in his room

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wasn’t an option either, but there would be time later—once
the human had settled in—to explain the responsibilities of
being  the  beloved  of  a  coven  master.  Deciding  the  biggest
issues  had  been  discussed,  Adalric  leaned  down  and
brushed his lips over a clearly  surprised Seth, then quickly
drew away and sat up.

A glance over his shoulder showed him Toni and Gerald’s

gazes  fastened  out  the  window,  expression’s  stoic.  The
enforcer  and  tracker,  respectively,  had  been  the  only
vampires  Adalric  had  kept  with  him  while  staying  with
Maelgwn. Even though the gargoyle’s home was friendly, it
would  be  out  of  character  for  him  not  to  have  some
protection. He also knew they’d never speak of this incident
unless Adalric requested it, which he wouldn’t.

Straightening his shirt and brushing the wrinkles from his

slacks, Adalric watched Seth slowly push into a sitting
position. Seth had drawn his brows in a look Adalric already
recognized as confusion. Interestingly enough, now that
he’d gotten the man talking, he didn’t seem to shut up.

“Why’d you do that?” Seth asked.
Adalric gazed at him levelly. “Better you to be armed

with  information  than  have  you  stumbling  through  and
possibly  endangering  yourself.”  He  curved  one  side  of  his
mouth into a smirk. “Or one of my coven members, for that
matter,”  he  added.  “I’d  hate  to  have  to  kill  someone  for
touching you.”

“I meant the kiss,” Seth clarified. “Why do you keep

kissing me?” Then his eyes narrowed. “Wait, touching me?
You’d hurt someone for touching me? Why the hell would
you do that?”

Oh, shit. What was it about the human that made him

blurt out information he’d planned to keep…well, not secret,
but just to himself for the time being. Adalric mentally

A Bite of Fulfillment

scrambled to come up with an answer. The sight of his mark
on Seth’s neck gave him the out he needed.

He reached up and gently traced the mark. “Marking you

wasn’t just for protection from violence,” he said softly. “It’s
to protect you from unwanted advances.” There. That sounded

perfectly plausible. Right?

Seth lifted a brow in an expression that looked

surprisingly like a challenge. “What if they’re wanted
advances? Do I need your permission or something?”

Adalric just managed to trap his snarl in his throat. The

very idea that his beloved would go to another vampire—or
human, for that matter—for pleasure sent a burning rage
through his veins. His companions knew it, too, because
both Toni and Gerald fidgeted in their seats.

To Adalric’s relief, the limo came to a stop right then.

Without waiting for his driver to open the door, he shoved it
open and climbed out, pausing just long enough to glare at
Seth and snap, “Yes.” He turned his attention to Toni and
ordered, “Show Seth Goodwin to his rooms.”

Striding away from the vehicle and into the mansion,

Adalric knew his thunderous expression was what drove
everyone from whichever room he passed through. They
didn’t even cast curious glances. They just went.

That suited Adalric just fine. He had an attempted

murderer to catch and a beloved to seduce. He didn’t need
anything else on his plate.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Four

eth watched Adalric go in stunned silence. From the
grimace on Toni’s face and the slight shake of Gerald’s

head, he figured they might know more about what had set
the vampire off than Seth did. He didn’t think he should
care, but the little niggling feeling in his chest was a firm
indicator that he did. Maybe he felt this way because Adalric
had saved his life a couple weeks before, stopping the rogue
and his friends from killing him and Bobby.

Geez, my life has become way too complicated.
“Uh, how come I feel like I should apologize for

something?” Seth muttered as he climbed out of the car.

“Maybe you should consider having a decent fucking

conversation,” Toni grumbled.

Frowning, Seth followed the man. He wasn’t entirely

certain if the guy had meant for him to hear his words or
not. Well, too damn bad. Seth had heard and wanted to
know what the hell it meant.

Except, just as he opened his mouth to demand an

explanation,  Gerald  led  the  way  through  the  door.  Too
preoccupied  with  first,  Adalric’s  warning,  then  having  him
sprawled  over  him—because,  damn,  the  guy  felt  amazing
holding him down, all hard muscle and heady masculinity—
Seth  hadn’t  paid  much  attention  to  the  front  of  the  house.
Maybe  he  should  have.  As  he  took  in  the  massive  marble-

A Bite of Fulfillment

floored foyer and double set of stairs, Seth realized this
wasn’t a house, it was a fucking mansion.

A hand on his back got him moving again, and a glance

over his shoulder told Seth that it was Toni beside him. He
would  have  jerked  away  from  the  touch,  but  the  vampire
wasn’t  actually  looking  at  him.  Instead,  as  Toni  urged  him
up  the  right  stairway  and  into  that  wing,  the  guy  offered
warning looks to anyone who didn’t move out of their path
fast enough.

The second floor sported lush carpets in medium tan and

brown  swirling  designs,  the  walls  were  a  light  brown.
Intricately carved crown molding ran along the top and Seth
just  stopped  himself  from  standing  on  a  wingback  chair
clearly  meant  for  decoration  and  touching  the  tiny  flowers
and vines etched into the wood. He figured he stared like a
slack-jawed  yokel,  but  really,  he  couldn’t  help  himself.
Never  in  his  wildest  dreams  would  Seth  imagine  staying,
even for a night, in a place like this.

These vampires are loaded!
When he finally walked into the room obviously meant to

be his, since somehow, his suitcase already rested at the foot
of the oak four-poster bed—which he could just see through
the  doorway  on  the  far  side  of  the  front  room—Seth’s  jaw
finally  did  open  in  shock.  Rich  greens  and  blues  covered
three  of the walls, complimenting the floral artwork on the
walls.

On the final wall, a mural of a garden took Seth’s breath

away. He felt as if he could walk right into one of the stone
pathways that disappeared amongst the foliage. Stepping
into the bedroom proper, he saw the mural continued and
he reached out and traced a vine.

“My God,” he whispered in wonder.
“Looks like he likes it,” Gerald murmured behind him.

Charlie Richards

“Yep,” Toni replied softly. “Adalric will be pleased…once

he calms down anyway.”

Seth turned, glancing between the two waiting men. “This

really is something else. Tell Adalric thank you.”

Toni crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing

as he studied him. Seth felt a bit like he was being assessed,
but for what reason, he didn’t know. Finally, Toni stated,
“Look, it’s not really my place, but I like my leader happy.
So, if you could get your head out of your ass and not make
remarks about sleeping with someone other than Adalric, I
know everyone here would appreciate it.”

Seth felt his face heat. He’d made the offhand comment

on instinct because he’d been worried Adalric might have
felt his growing erection while lying on him. The second the
words were out of his mouth, he’d known they were a
mistake.

Grimacing, Seth nodded. “Yeah, not my finest moment. I

just…I don’t appreciate being manipulated and railroaded
into moving here, even as nice as it is,” he said, glancing
around at the stunning, comfortable room. Through an open
door on his left, he saw a bathroom, and a glass door to his
right appeared to lead to a balcony.

“Well, if your beloved spouted that shit, you’d be pissed,

too,” Gerald muttered.

Seth whipped around from where he’d started heading

toward  the  balcony.  “What  did  you  say?”  Bobby  had
explained  mating  to  him  and  he  knew  the  term  vampires
used when they found their other half was a  beloved. Seth’s
gut churned. Surely Adalric didn’t think…

“Way to go, dumbass,” Toni griped, punching the other

man on the arm.

“Ah, shit.” Gerald rubbed his shoulder. “It just came out.”
“Oh, hell, no,” Seth growled. “Are you telling me the

reason Adalric dragged me here is because he thinks I’m

A Bite of Fulfillment

his…his…” God, he didn’t even want to say it. “That lying
bastard!” he roared upon seeing both men’s sheepish
expressions and the way they exchanged looks. “Where is
he?”

Brushing by them, Seth yanked open the door and headed

into the hall. He had no clue where to go, but that didn’t
stop him from stalking back the way they’d come, ignoring
the other men’s cries of wait and hold on and you need to stay
here. Like hell he’d stay there, as if he were some little wife
waiting for his man to get home at the end of a long day.

Seth heard footsteps behind him, but didn’t slow his pace.

It wasn’t until he’d returned to the first floor and the foyer
that he paused. Well, shit. Now what? A hand landed on his
arm, tight enough to, well not hurt, but it sure as hell wasn’t
a gentle hold. Seth spun around, yanking his arm out of the
other man’s grasp, surprised to discover it wasn’t Toni or
Gerald behind him.

A blond man glared right back at him. Younger than

Seth’s own thirty-two by a good number of years, he stood a
couple inches shorter, although his shoulders were broader
and his arms were roped with muscle. He had a lean waist
and his jean-clad legs appeared just as ripped.

Seth had to admit, he was a good looking man and felt a

little surprise that he didn’t feel an iota of attraction for him.
Perhaps that was due to the stranger’s blue eyes glittering
with loathing that Seth didn’t understand.

“So you’re him, huh?” the man asked, his tone belligerent.
Not knowing what the guy meant or what he was after,

Seth lifted a brow and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Excuse me?”

“You might think you can take Adalric from me, but you

can’t,” the guy hissed. “He’s mine.”

Charlie Richards

Seth’s sudden surge of possessiveness surprised him, but

he couldn’t stop from curling his lip and smirking. “Not
while I’m around.”

The other man snarled and lunged toward him, his hands

reaching  for  Seth’s  neck.  Bringing  his  hands  up  between
them,  he  knocked  the  other  guy’s  arms  away.  Even  as  he
stepped  in  close  and  landed  a  hook  to  the  man’s  jaw,  it
didn’t  escape  his  notice  about  how  ridiculous  this  was.  He
was fighting over a man he didn’t want…did he?

A fist in his gut refocused his attention.
Using skills learned through grappling with other

firefighters in the gym, Seth stepped left, using his left hand
to push his opponent’s arm away from him. He immediately
followed that with several quick strikes to the man’s torso.
Following that up with an open palm to the guy’s ear, he
then cupped the back of the man’s head and jerked down as
he lifted his knee, nailing him in the stomach.

The guy gasped, doubling over, just as Seth knew he

would. He jumped up, then used his downward momentum
to slam an elbow into the guy’s spine. As the guy arched and
cried  out  in  pain,  Seth  finished  the  maneuver  by  grabbing
the  back  of  the  man’s  shirt  and  pulling  backward  as  he
swept  a  foot  under  his  attacker’s  leg,  toppling  him  to  the
floor.

He withheld the follow-up kick to the ribs when he heard

shouting above him. Backing carefully, he split his attention
between the downed man and the top of the stairs. He
watched Toni and Gerald pause and stare at them in shock.

Looks like they finally caught up with me.
His attacker groaned and rolled to his side and Seth

refocused on him. The guy opened his eyes and hatred
gleamed from his gaze, although he made no move to get
up.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Son of a bitch!” Toni growled, running down the stairs.

“What the hell happened? What happened to Chad?”

“Chad? Is that the guy’s name?” Seth asked dryly. He

inspected his hand and flexed his fingers. It was never
comfortable slamming his hand into someone and he didn’t
understand people who became boxers. Fucking painful! “He
didn’t introduce himself before attacking me.”

“Shit! He attacked you? Chad, how could you be so

stupid? Adalric was willing to let you stay, but now?”
Gerald shook his head as he helped Chad to his feet. “Let’s
go get you checked out.”

Toni gripped Seth’s hand as they walked away, Chad in

sullen silence. “Let me take a look at that,” Toni urged softly.

Seth pulled out of his grip. “I’m fine,” he snapped.
“You sure?”
“I’d know if I wasn’t. This wasn’t my first dog and pony

show,” he replied roughly.

Nodding, Toni pointed back toward the stairs. “How

about I take you to Adalric,” he suggested.

Shaking his head, Seth took a step away from him. “Naw,

it’s okay. I think…uh—” He really needed a place to think,
and he didn’t want to go back to his room right away.
Remembering something Adalric said the day before, Seth
asked, “I’d like to check out your gardens. Adalric said you
have one.”

Toni’s brows went up, but he didn’t say much, just

nodded,  and  led  him  deeper  into  the  mansion.  He  pointed
out a set of double doors, telling him it was an entertainment
room.  From  the  amount  of  noise  that  could  be  heard,  Seth
figured  there’d  be  plenty  of  people  in  there.  Toni  also
pointed  out  the  kitchen  and  dining  room,  finally  leading
through a mudroom and out a back door.

Seth stared around the massive patio, impressed with not

only the size and comfortable looking furniture, but by the

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mostly  naked  men  and  women  laying  out  on  them.  Toni
waved  toward  them,  murmuring,  “You’ll  be  introduced  to
everyone eventually, but these are a few of the humans that
live  with  us,  so  it’s  not  like  you’ll  be  alone,  ya  know?”  He
raised his voice and called, “Peter, wave for me.”

A lithe, auburn-haired man levered up on his arm and

looked their way. The word, twink, flashed through Seth’s
mind, what with the guy’s lean lines and slender form. A
grin spread over his face, lighting his green eyes.

“Hey, Toni. Welcome home!” he greeted, the pleasure at

seeing the vampire more than apparent by the way he licked
his lips, let alone his next words. “Anything I can do for
you? Who’s your friend?”

“Just relax, babe,” Toni replied, a twinkle lighting his

eyes. “This is Seth Goodwin. He’s in the blue room.”

That really got the guy’s attention. Peter rolled to a sitting

position and winked. “Ya mean the blue room that was just
remodeled?” He grinned. “Nice to meet you, Seth. You need
anything, you give me a holler. Kay?”

“Uh, sure,” Seth replied, giving the guy a smile.

Geez, people actually live here with the vampires just…to feed

them? His stomach clenched. Do vampires think we’re cattle?

“The gardens, obviously, are that way,” Toni said,

pointing. “I need to report to Adalric what happened. You
going to be okay on your own for a bit?” he asked, glancing
around as if assessing the safety of the area.

There appeared to be quite a bit of tension tightening

Toni’s features, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know
what caused it. Somebody attacked Seth under this
vampire’s watch. “Maybe I should go with you,” Seth
suggested. He didn’t want Toni in trouble for something he
had no control over.

A Bite of Fulfillment

The vampire flushed and shook his head. “Don’t worry

about it. I’ll tell him where you are. You, uh, you sure your
hand’s okay?”

Lifting one brow, Seth fisted his hands on his hips. “Ya

want me to punch you with it and prove it to you?”

Toni barked out a laugh. “Oh, you are going to keep

Adalric on his toes, aren’t you? Go enjoy the garden.”

Seth didn’t need to be told twice.
He turned and waved over his shoulder as he crossed the

large  lawn  and  headed  through  a  rose-covered  trellis.  He
admired  the  pink  mini  blooms,  inhaling  deeply  of  their
scent.  Walking  along  the  gravel  path,  Seth  took  in  the
vibrantly colored flowers giving off a myriad of scents.

As Seth strolled, he checked stems, leaves, and petals,

impressed to find everything healthy and strong. Smiling, he
paused at a particularly colorful display of tulips. There
were red, orange, yellow, and even purple blooms. In fact,
he even noticed some of several colors.

Taking a step back, his brows shot up. He grinned,

chuckling softly. The blooms created vibrant streaks of color
swirling  around  each  other.  No  blooms  mixed  up  the
intricate  trails  as  they  twined  together.  “Wow,”  he
murmured,  impressed.  It  must  have  taken  years  to  get
everything just right.

Seth moved on and eventually stumbled across a section

of open soil, a wheelbarrow of manure and flats of
chrysanthemums nearby. He glanced around, but didn’t see
anyone and couldn’t resist.

He started planting.
He hadn’t been at it that long…only managing to plant

about half a dozen blooms or so, when a throat clearing
startled him. Seth rocked back on his heels and looked over,
discovering he was no longer alone.

Charlie Richards

A tall, slender man stood over him. His narrow features,

regal bearing, and the silver at his temples and streaked
through his short, black hair gave Seth the impression he’d
look better in a tux holding a glass of wine rather than the
small spade he actually held.

“Hello,” the man greeted, sweeping his gaze over Seth. “I

leave for an hour to grab  a steak and when I  return, I  find
I’ve  been  replaced.  Should  I  be  concerned?”  The  slight
upturn  at  the  corners  of  the  distinguished  man’s  lips
lightened  his  words,  letting  Seth  know  he  wasn’t  actually
upset.

Seth chuckled and rose, dusting his hands as he moved.

“Hey, uh, sorry,” he said, waving toward the bed of tilled
earth. “I’m really not taking your job or anything. I just love
tinkering in a garden every now and then. You, uh, your
tulip field is amazing.”

The man’s mouth curved into a pleased smile. “I’m glad

you like it. So few bother venturing out here unless they’re
with someone, and then…” He shrugged. “Their minds are
on other things.”

Snorting, Seth nodded. “I bet.” He held out a hand. “I’m

Seth Goodwin.”

After just a second of hesitation—and did he just sniff

discreetly?—the other man accepted the handshake. “Xavier
Agueda. A pleasure.”

Seth smiled back. “You really do have a magnificent

garden.”

The guy cocked his head. “If you enjoy it so much,

perhaps you’d like to join me tomorrow. I plan to prune
hedges and vines.”

He grinned, knowing exactly what the gardener was

doing. Testing him, to see if he was really interested or just
saying that. “I would really enjoy that,” he said. After all,
what the hell else am I going to do with my time?

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Good. Then I will see you tomorrow.”
Seth nodded. His stomach growled, and they both

chuckled.

“I think Peter is in the kitchen with a few others. Why

don’t you go get something to eat?” Xavier urged.

Deciding that was an excellent plan, Seth headed out of

the garden.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Five

hat the hell do you mean he was attacked?” Adalric
roared. His vision bled to red and he grabbed Toni

around the neck. Using his tight grip, he slammed him into
the wall of his study. “How could you allow something to
happen to my beloved?” And in my own home! Damn it! The
whole point of having a bodyguard—especially in light of
what happened to Daystrum—was to keep Seth safe!

“N-n-noth—” Toni gasped, somewhat unsuccessfully.
Gerald burst into the room. “Wait, please, it wasn’t totally

his fault. I was there, too.”

A low, menacing growl rolled through Adalric, and he

released Toni, allowing him to drop to the floor. His enforcer
immediately rolled to his hands and knees, gasping and
coughing. He kinda felt bad. Kinda. Until he realized he still
didn’t know where Seth was or how injured.

Before he could attack, Gerald skidded to a stop before

him and dropped to his knees. “Please, Master,” he pleaded.
“Your beloved is fine. Seth is fine. He laid into Chad and
took him out easy. I have Chad under guard, locked in his
rooms, awaiting your judgment.”

“Chad,” Adalric snarled. He flexed his hands and

struggled  to  clear  the  burning  rage  from  his  system.  He
needed to think, and the irrational urge to hunt his beloved
down  and  wrap  him  in  a  bubble  wasn’t  going  to  win  him
any  points  with  the  man.  Slowly,  he  felt  his  eyes  return  to

“W

A Bite of Fulfillment

normal and his claws retract. As much as he wanted just to
kill the human, he couldn’t, but he could remove him from
his home.

“Was Jason involved?” he asked, pleased his tone only

came out with a slight growl.

He needed to know if he had to get rid of both men. The

part about allowing a harem, of sorts always sucked for him.
It didn’t happen often, but sometimes, a human didn’t work
out and they had to find a way to remove them…quietly.

“No, sir,” Toni and Gerald answered, almost in unison.
Gerald continued, “I’ve already heard rumors that Jason

has taken up with Sage.”

Adalric nodded slowly at the mention of another vampire

in his coven. Sage would keep Jason in line. “And where is
Seth  now?”  he  asked.  If  both  Gerald  and  Toni  were  here,
who  was  watching  his  human?  He  might  be  upset  about
Seth’s  careless  comments,  but  that  didn’t  mean  he  wanted
him unprotected.

Especially after seeing the mess some unknown vampire,

or vampires, had made of Daystrum. His second still hadn’t
regained consciousness, which had both him and Darian
worried, although, Melissa assured them he’d be fine and it
was just a matter of time.

“I, uh, I kinda told him that he’s your beloved. That’s why

he was storming through the house and ran into Chad. He
was looking for you,” Gerald admitted.

Adalric glared, but Gerald didn’t look up, so he didn’t see

it.  He  wondered  if  he’d  have  been  the  one  Seth  hit  if  his
beloved  had  managed  to  find  him.  Adalric  had  really
wanted  to  share  that  particular  piece  of  information  at  the
right time, after showing Seth that he had a nice home and
he led a good group of vampires. Unfortunately, even before
Seth  had  run  into  a  jealous  Chad,  he  knew  that  wouldn’t

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happen. Not with the problems he now faced trying to
figure out who’d beaten Daystrum.

“After taking out Chad, he wanted to go to the gardens,

so I took him out there and asked Xavier to keep an eye on
him,” Toni explained. “Then I came here.”

“So he’s still in the garden?” Adalric queried, relief

flooding him. Xavier was an old vampire, somewhere in his
fourth century. He’d been with Adalric since he took over
this coven a couple hundred years before. He had no trouble
trusting Seth with him, for his loyalty was beyond reproach.

“As far as I know, sir,” Toni replied.
Adalric allowed his displeasure to show. “Then perhaps

you should go find out while I deal with Chad.”

“Yes, sir.” Toni quickly scurried from the room.
Rolling his eyes, Adalric tapped Gerald on the shoulder.

“Rise.  Go  fetch  Edwin  and  tell  him  to  meet  me  in  Chad’s
room.”  Normally,  he’d  have  his  second  by  his  side  while
removing  a  human  from  his  home,  but  since  that  was
impossible right now, his enforcer would have to fill in.

Adalric knew the way to the human’s room and strode

purposefully  out of his wing, down the stairs, and into the
east  downstairs  wing.  It  didn’t  miss  Adalric’s  notice  that
Seth must have walked right by his office, and he vowed to
give  him  a  tour  in  the  morning.  Of  course,  if  they’d  been
properly  bonded,  Adalric  would  have  known  when  Seth
became upset and stormed past.

Soon, he promised himself.
Pausing outside the door, Adalric sucked in a low hiss

when he smelled Seth’s scent on the air. He struggled to
hold in his growl…and his claws. Without knocking, Adalric
gripped the handle and pushed into the room.

He saw the human donor sprawled across the bed,

wearing only boxers. Bruises already bloomed across his rib
cage. A glance at the guy’s face showed more coloring at his

A Bite of Fulfillment

temple. An odd sense of pride flooded Adalric that his man
could take care of himself—against another human anyway.
The thought of what his beloved might look like after the
fight chased his pride, filling him with worry instead. Seth
hadn’t really given him the impression that he was a fighter.

When Chad caught sight of him, the man’s blue eyes lit

up.  “I  knew  you’d  come  once  you  heard,”  he  crooned  in  a
husky voice that used to turn Adalric on. Chad rolled to his
side,  just  hiding  a  grimace,  and  reached  out  for  him.  “Did
you  punish  that  imposter?  Did  you  send  him  away?  I  can
still please you, even when injured.”

Disgust slithered through Adalric. “Seth is my beloved,

Chad, and you attacked him,” he stated, modulating his cold
tone. “Explain to me why I shouldn’t tear out your throat?”

For an instant, Chad blanched, his face paling. He quickly

replaced  the  expression  with  a  pouty  playful  look  that
Adalric assumed he  was supposed to find  alluring. Except,
when he watched Chad bat his eyelashes and move toward
him,  it  took  every  bit  of  self-restraint  to  keep  from  tearing
out the bastard’s throat.

“Oh, baby, you know that’s not true. You just brought

him  here  to  make  me  jealous.”  Chad  reached  Adalric  and
rested  his  hands  on  his  chest,  rubbing  them  over  his  pecs.
“After you bond with me, we can have an open relationship.
I  don’t  mind.  I  know  how  you  like  your  variety,”  he
murmured,  leaning  close.  “I’ll  even  let  you  keep  fucking
Jason. Maybe we can fuck him together.”

When Chad leaned in for a kiss, Adalric’d had enough.

He  grabbed  Chad’s  wrists  and  used  the  hold  to  shove  him
away.  Chad  squeaked  in  protest,  the  noise  completely
incongruous  with  his  broad  shouldered,  thickly  muscled
frame.

To his immense relief, Edwin arrived right then and

quickly took in the scene. He grabbed Chad’s shoulder and

Charlie Richards

pulled him away from Adalric. “Sit down,” Edwin ordered,
pointing Chad toward his bed.

Chad frowned, his façade slipping. Scowling, he did as he

was told.

Edwin stepped back until he stood at a right angle from

both Chad and Adalric and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Chad Burtwick, you are guilty of attacking my beloved. If
you were a vampire, I’d tear out your heart without
remorse.”

“I’m your beloved!” Chad cried, jumping to his feet.
Edwin stepped forward and intercepted him, an arm

around his torso. He shoved him none-to-gently back to the
bed. “I said, sit down,” he snapped gruffly.

Adalric narrowed his eyes. He could hear Chad’s heart

speed  up  in  his  chest,  sending  blood  rushing  through  his
veins.  The  human’s  scent  of  anger,  fear,  and  frustration
flooded the room. Having not completed his bond with Seth,
Adalric  found  himself  not  completely  unaffected.  His  dick
slowly filled and his mouth watered.

From the flare of Edwin’s nostrils, Adalric knew his

enforcer was in the same boat. They had to get this finished
damn quick. “You have two choices,  Chad,” Adalric stated
bluntly.  “We  will  set  you  up  in  an  apartment  in  a  city  of
your choice for a year, after that, you’re on your own. You
will  never  mention  vampires  to  anyone  or  your  life  is
forfeit.”

“And the other choice?” Chad actually had the audacity

to ask.

“We will drain you dry now,” Adalric replied, his gaze

steady on the other man.

From the man’s pallor and his nearly inaudible gasp,

Adalric figured Chad finally understood the gravity of the
situation. His actions were inexcusable.

“I have to leave?” Chad whispered. “B-but—”

A Bite of Fulfillment

Adalric didn’t want or need to hear the human’s excuses.

“Choose!”

Seth’s lashes lowered and moisture made his blue eyes

seem to shine. Adalric had seen Chad’s machinations one
too many times to be moved. He allowed a low warning
growl to rumble through him.

Chad swallowed hard. “I’ll leave. I—I really thought you

were mine.” He looked at Adalric with such an expression of
yearning, a plea for forgiveness, for him to reconsider.

Adalric ignored it. “You have twenty-four hours to decide

location. Let Edwin know and he’ll take care of it. You are
not to come into my presence or Seth’s presence ever again.
Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Chad agreed.
After a curt nod to Edwin, Adalric spun on his heel and

left the room. He knew his enforcer would take care of
everything, including choosing a suitable set of trackers to
keep an eye on Chad for the next couple of years. As he left
the wing, a weight he hadn’t realized he carried seemed to
roll off his shoulders, easing his tension.

He caught himself smiling. Deciding it was time to find

his  wayward  beloved,  Adalric  headed  toward  the  back  of
the  house  and  the  gardens.  Voices  and  laughter  caught  his
attention,  one  laugh  in  particular.  Adjusting  his  course,
Adalric followed the noise to the breakfast nook attached to
the kitchen.

Leaning against the doorframe, Adalric crossed his arms

and took in the scene. The human, Peter, sat curled up on
Toni’s lap, who watched over the proceedings in relative
discomfort, judging by the arousal tickling Adalric’s senses
coupled with the way Peter rocked his hips ever so slowly—
and how Toni had his hand slipped up under Peter’s shirt to
fondle…something.

Charlie Richards

Adalric swept his gaze over the laughing, eating men and

women. Most were human, although a couple vampires
were interspersed amongst them.

He focused on Seth, pleased to see him chatting

animatedly  with  a  couple  men.  He  appeared  relaxed.  His
eyes  glowed  as  he  regaled  the  others  with  a  tale  about  a
house  fire  started  by  old,  faulty  wiring.  Adalric  found
himself impressed by his lover’s courage, racing into danger
to save others. He hoped Seth would apply that same heart
to their relationship.

In order to do that, they’d need a very frank conversation

about that very thing. It pleased Adalric to see his beloved so
happy, but a niggle of jealousy shot through him when he
saw the smile Seth bestowed upon his new friends.

He forced back his initial reaction, namely to cross the

room and grab up his beloved and take him somewhere to
show him who he belonged to. Instead, he pushed off the
wall and sauntered slowly across the room. A few of the
conversations stopped, but many just nodded or waved and
kept talking. Adalric appreciated that. Even though he ruled
these people, he didn’t like standing out all the time.

Unfortunately, Seth did stop talking. Too bad. Adalric

would have liked hearing if everyone got out okay. Keeping
a pleasant smile firmly pasted in place, and really that
wasn’t all that hard considering how happy he was finally to
have his beloved in his home, Adalric stopped by Seth’s
side.

Adalric didn’t ask, just slipped his fingers through the

fine hairs at Seth’s nape, and tilted the man’s head back.
Lowering his head, he claimed his beloved’s mouth in what
he’d planned to be a quick kiss, except, when Seth gasped,
opening his mouth, Adalric couldn’t help sliding his tongue
into Seth’s warm heat and exploring.

A Bite of Fulfillment

His human’s flavor exploded across his taste buds, the

spicy masculine essence heating his blood and thickening his
cock. He thrust his tongue deep, rubbing their appendages
together. Seth whimpered, kissing back, one hand coming
up to grip Adalric’s shirt. Adalric smiled against his lover’s
lips as he swallowed down the erotic sound.

Pulling on his last reserve of self-control, Adalric eased

the kiss to an end. He lifted his head and grinned at the
dazed expression on Seth’s face, as if he couldn’t believe
he’d responded like that.

He gently released his hold on Seth’s neck and turned his

attention  to  the  plate  of  food  in  front  of  his  lover.  A  few
carrot  sticks  and  a  couple  bites  of  lasagna  still  littered  the
plate.  He  picked  up  a  carrot  stick  and  dipped  it  in  ranch
sauce.

He winked and asked, “You about done? We have a few

things to discuss,” before popping the veggie into his mouth.

At Seth’s shocked look, Adalric just smiled and chewed.

He took a step back and held out his hand, palm up, all the
while praying his beloved would take it.

Seth glanced around, and seeing they were the center of

attention, must have decided not to make waves. He took
Adalric’s hand. Pleasure flooded Adalric at his human’s
touch and he pulled him to his feet.

“Come, beloved,” he crooned, leading the way out of the

room.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Six

eth didn’t put up a fight. Whatever conversation they had
to have, Seth wanted to do it in private. He hadn’t

forgotten  about  Adalric’s  warning  of  punishment,  either.
Besides,  they  needed  to  get  a  few  things  straight  between
them,  and  the  lying,  withheld  information,  and
miscommunications had to stop.

In silence, the pair made their way back to Seth’s room. At

one point, once they were alone, he tried to pull his hand
free, but Adalric tightened his grip, squeezing his hand
rhythmically for a couple beats. He stopped trying.

Adalric opened the door and led him inside, tugging him

gently. Once the door closed, Seth found himself pressed
against the wood, his arms pinned on either side of his head.
“What are you—”

He didn’t get to finish his thought because Adalric

captured his lips, thrusting his tongue into Seth’s mouth. A
low growl rumbled through Adalric, vibrating Seth’s chest,
making his entire body tingle. Adalric mapped his mouth,
caressed his teeth, and teased his palate.

Seth’s dick had plumped to half-mast as soon as he’d

spotted the other man in the dining room, then hardened to
steel when Adalric had kissed him. Now, he literally ached
and could feel his shaft leak in his jeans. He couldn’t explain
his desire to submit, let alone understand it.

Talk! Need to understand!

A Bite of Fulfillment

Wrenching his head to the side, Seth managed to pull

away. He gasped, barely managing to form coherent words
with  the  way  his  blood  surged  through  his  veins  and  his
cock throbbed. “Wait. Please, wait. I don’t—I’m not—” God,
he  had  no  clue  what  he  even  wanted  to  say!  He  rested  his
head  against  the  door  with  a  thud  and  let  his  eyelids  slide
shut.

“Hey, hey,” Adalric crooned. Strong, slender fingers

released one of his wrists only to be felt sliding through
Seth’s hair to rub the back of his head. “None of that, now.
Easy.”

Adalric’s gentle tones surprised Seth, and he pried his

eyelids back open. The guy was actually smiling at him,
even though he’d yanked away from him.

“Although I like you out of your mind with lust,” Adalric

assured, “I want you to know why you feel that way, too.”
The hand in Seth’s hair lowered to his neck and massaged
the tendons a bit. “And your confusion is almost palpable.”
Adalric lowered his face to Seth’s shoulder and nipped
gently. “Let’s talk, shall we?”

Seth nodded dumbly and allowed Adalric once more to

lead him, this time toward a sofa where he pulled him down
beside him. Mentally, Seth reeled. He’d actually felt
Adalric’s fangs slide over his flesh, but instead of wanting to
pull away, he’d wanted to press closer, even beg for his bite.
Confusion didn’t seem to come close to his feelings right
now.

His arm around Seth’s shoulders, Adalric pulled him

flush against his body. “I guess I should start. I apologize I
didn’t tell you that you’re my beloved,” Adalric began. “You
weren’t exactly amenable to even being in the same room, so
imagine my frustration. I wanted you to learn that, just
because I’m a vampire, it doesn’t mean I’m a psychotic killer
like Damune, the man who attacked you and Bobby.”

Charlie Richards

“Is that why I feel like I’m out of control every time you’re

around?” Seth asked quietly.

He hated being out of control. Maybe it had something to

do  with  being  shunted  from  one  foster  home  to  the  next,
never  having  any  control  over  his  future,  but  Seth  valued
control. For that same reason, he needed it in a relationship,
too.  Feeling  as  if  he  had  none,  like  right  now,  put  him  on
edge  as  nothing  had  done  in  nearly  fourteen  years.  Even
losing Bobby hadn’t felt like this.

“In part. Right now, your body is straining to connect

with mine. Just because you’re not a vampire doesn’t mean
you don’t feel it,” he explained. “Your…mood swings…will
settle down once our bond is complete.”

“Mood swings,” Seth grumbled. “What am I?

Prepubescent?”

Adalric chuckled, and the look he bestowed upon Seth, he

could only describe it as amused affection. Odd. “Of course
not,” Adalric murmured, “but Fate can be a bitch and she
has ways of getting what she wants.”

“Great. Now my life is being run by some mythic goddess

with match-making tendencies.”

Throwing his head back, Adalric roared in laughter. The

arm around Seth’s shoulders tightened and—even though
Seth glared mutinously at Adalric—the vampire knocked
their heads together.

“Damn, the things you say,” Adalric finally managed to

say, his words still tough to understand through his
chuckles. “You’ll keep me on my toes, won’t you?”

Seth smirked, purposefully turning his glare into an

assessing look as he swept his gaze over Adalric’s lean body.
“I thought maybe I’d keep you on your knees.”

The laughter immediately died, replaced by a low snarl. A

quick push-pull to Seth’s body found him sprawled across
the sofa with an aggressive vampire on top of him, again.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Wait…scratch that, a horny vampire if the ridge pressing
into his thigh was any indicator.

“Although I’d be happy to suck your cock any time,”

Adalric  rumbled—his  mouth  so  close  to  Seth’s  ear  that  it
stirred  the  tiny  hairs  right  behind  and  below  it,  causing
goose  bumps  to  rupture  down  his  neck  and  arms.  “To
complete our bond, I will need in that sexy ass of yours.”

Seth’s asshole clenched in reflex to Adalric’s words. His

hard-as-nails shaft throbbed, aching for pressure,
stimulation, but the very idea of giving up his ass…

“N-never done that,” he admitted. “Not ready.”
Adalric froze for several seconds, then gave a whole body

shudder. “Seth,” he hissed.

To Seth’s complete and utter shock, the vampire pressed

his forehead against Seth’s neck and just seemed to…clutch
him, tightly.

Once again, Seth felt confused, this time mixed with a

healthy dose of concern. Rubbing his hands down Adalric’s
back, he attempted to soothe the vampire. “Hey, hey, what is
it?” Seth asked softly. Just what the hell is going on now?

“So fucking sexy,” Adalric growled. One of the man’s

hands slipped down and cupped Seth’s ass, giving it a hard
squeeze.

Instinct urged Seth to rock up into the lean frame that was

so much stronger than it looked and currently pinned him to
the sofa.

“My ass. Only mine,” Adalric rumbled gruffly. “Only I

will know the pleasure of sinking into your tight sweet
body.”

The possessive quality to the man’s tone almost caused

Seth to shoot off right then. If the vampire had rutted down
at that second, he most certainly would have. Instead,
Adalric lifted his head and Seth gasped in shock at the deep
red color of his eyes. Fear shot through him and he froze, his

Charlie Richards

heart speeding up in his chest for a whole new reason. He’d
seen a vampire’s eyes look like that before. The creature was
tearing out the throats of his friends and then he’d come
after him, too.

“Please,” he whispered, the word out of his mouth before

he could censure it.

Softly crooned words penetrated the fog of terror that

seemed  to  have  enveloped  him.  It  took  several  seconds  to
realize  that  Adalric  ran  his  hands  over  him,  rubbing  his
arms,  and  massaging  his  shoulders.  The  vampire  stared
down at him in concern as he gently spoke.

“Easy, Seth. Come on, beloved. Talk to me, Seth. Tell me

what’s wrong. Tell me what I did, hmm? Does the idea of
me taking your ass scare you that much?”

Shit, what the hell is wrong with me? But even as he

wondered, Seth knew. Those red eyes would haunt him for a
long time. “No, no,” he finally managed to mumble.

“Then we’ll wait,” Adalric replied, sounding reassuring.

“I may get excited about being the only one to ever sink into
your body, and nothing would please me more than
claiming you, but I know how to be patient,” he reassured.
“I’ll give you the time you need.”

Seth blinked and finally found the courage to peer up at

Adalric’s face. The man’s dark brown eyes stared steadily
back at him.

Reaching up, Seth gently ran his thumb over Adalric’s

brow. “I thought—” He paused and swallowed hard. Had it
been his imagination?

“Thought what?” Adalric asked gently. He turned his

head and caught Seth’s thumb in his mouth, sucking lightly.

The pressure felt better than Seth thought it should, and

his cock—that had completely deflated during his little panic
attack—swelled quickly. Grunting at the sudden stimulus,
Seth rocked his hips. “Oh, that feels good.”

A Bite of Fulfillment

Adalric released Seth’s thumb with a pop. “How about I

see if I can find out what else would make you feel good?”

Seth couldn’t remember the last time he’d begged, but the

light pressure of Adalric’s hard shaft through several layers
of clothing set his blood on fire and he couldn’t hide his
need. “Y-yes, please.”

“With pleasure.”
To Seth’s shock, Adalric slid one arm under his torso and

the other under his ass and stood, carrying Seth without
trouble. He just managed to avoid an unmanly squeak, but
couldn’t help wrapping his arms and legs around the
vampire and clinging.

The way Adalric palmed Seth’s ass and how each jarring

step bumped their cocks just ratcheted Seth’s arousal higher.
“Shit, never had anyone carry me before,” he murmured,
trying to distract himself from his throbbing dick with talk.

Adalric chuckled. “I’ll carry you anywhere, sexy,” he said,

before laying Seth onto the bed and following him down.
“One of the advantages of being bonded with a vampire.”
He smirked and pushed Seth to the middle of the bed.

Seth snickered and watched as Adalric reached for the

hem of his shirt. He didn’t fight when the vampire indicated
he lift his torso. Once his head popped free of the fabric and
he could look the other man in the eye again, he admitted,
“Not sure how I feel about that.”

“One thing at a time,” Adalric said, a pleased smile on his

face as he swept his gaze over Seth’s exposed chest.

He fought the shocking urge to ask if his lover liked what

he saw. The answer was clear in the vampire’s lust-filled
gaze. Humming, his lover slid his hands down over Seth’s
shoulders, rubbing lightly, then over his pecks. He pinched
and rolled Seth’s already puckered nipples.

Sparks fired across Seth’s skin, radiating out from his

nubs, and he arched his back, desperately seeking more.

Charlie Richards

Adalric didn’t disappoint. He leaned down and replaced one
of his hands with his mouth, sucking and nipping the bud
while twisting and tugging the other with his hand. With his
free hand, he scraped surprisingly long nails along the
sensitive skin of his side, then traced the dips and ridges of
his abs.

“Ah, shit, more,” he pleaded. His cock throbbed in his

jeans, and he had to twist his fingers into the quilt to keep
from tearing them open and seeking relief.

He mewled—fucking mewled—at the sudden loss of

stimulation when Adalric pulled away. The vampire slipped
off the mattress and stood beside the bed. For a long second,
Seth just panted and stared in shock, his senses reeling.
Adalric once again swept a very smug gaze over him.

Finally, Adalric ordered, “Let me see that gorgeous cock

of yours. I’ve been dreaming of sucking it since I got to jack
you off yesterday.”

“Well, who in their right mind could refuse that,” Seth

quipped. He wasted no time in removing his jeans, boxers,
sneakers, and socks. Surprisingly, when he returned his gaze
to Adalric, the vampire had somehow also stripped and now
stood stroking his cock—his hefty-girthed, probably over
eight inch cock.

Seth swallowed hard, his ass clenching just at the sight of

it. He wouldn’t have thought such a lean guy would be so
well endowed!

Evidently, Adalric sensed his concern, for he reached out

and  very  gently  brushed  a  finger  up  Seth’s  erection—that
waved like a flag, jutting from his groin—making it jerk and
twitch.  Yeah,  that’s  a  good  distraction.  Adalric’s  fingers
threaded  through  the  soft  curls  around  his  groin,  lightly
tugging the hair, making the sensitive skin sting in the best
possible way.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“You gonna suck it or just stare at it?” Seth gasped, trying

to establish some sort of control.

Adalric seemed to be having none of it. “When I’m good

and ready,” he replied.

To Seth’s shock, Adalric lay down on the bed beside him

and rested his head in his hand, except his head was beside
his hip. Adalric cupped his far thigh and pushed it to the
side, spreading him, revealing everything.

Seth’s abs clenched involuntarily as Adalric trailed two

fingers along the crease where thigh met groin, then brushed
the pads of those digits over and around and across the
sensitive skin of his sacks. His intense stare was almost
unnerving and set Seth’s blood singing through his veins at
the same time.

His chest already heaved, his head muzzy, and Adalric

hadn’t even touched his cock, yet. When the vampire finally
did, it was with just as light and teasing a touch as the man
had used on his balls.

Adalric placed one finger into his mouth, sucked for a

second and winked. Then, using the damp finger, he swirled
it around Seth’s angry purple glans. “Oh,” Seth grunted, just
stopping  himself  from  thrusting  up.  Adalric  wasn’t  giving
him anything to thrust against and the move would dislodge
that  teasing,  pleasure-pain  giving  finger.  He  couldn’t,
however,  stop  his  cock  from  bobbing.  Some  muscles  acted
without conscious thought.

Thankfully, Adalric followed the movement, increasing

pressure to press his nail into his oozing piss-slit. Fire shot
down his dick into his balls, making his testicles roll in their
sacks.

Sparks erupted through his groin. His orbs pulled tight.

He never would have guessed his hole could be that
sensitive. “Oh, my God,” he squeaked, realizing he was
going to come just from this. Adalric dipped his nail into his

Charlie Richards

slit  again,  and  Seth  roared  as  the  fire  shot  down  his  cock
again. This time, he couldn’t stop it. His balls pulled just that
little  bit  tighter,  forcing  his  cum  up  his  stalk  in  spurts,  a
push-pull  of  pain  and  pleasure  beyond  anything  he’d  felt
before.

That is, until a couple seconds later, when he watched in

tongue-tied shock as Adalric opened his mouth—showing
off sharp fangs—and sank his teeth into the blood-engorged
vein running up the base of his prick.

Somewhere in the back of Seth’s mind, he registered that

he screamed. White and black spots danced before his eyes
as a second mind-numbing, earth-shattering orgasm crashed
over him, and this one swept him into unconsciousness.

* * * *

Mindful of the important flesh in his mouth, Adalric
carefully extracted his fangs. His heart beat like a racehorse
and he rested his head on Seth’s hip, trying to catch his
breath. His beloved’s responsiveness blew his mind. And my
load! Endorphins pinged pleasantly through his system, and
Adalric actually snickered.

He knew a goofy grin lit his features, but he didn’t care.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this good. Seth
lit up under his touch like none other, swelling his entire
being with pride, lust, and…happiness.

Tilting his head slightly, Adalric took in Seth’s lax

expression  and  evenly  rising  and  falling  chest.  Damn.  He
hadn’t even fucked the man and he’d already knocked him
out.  Smirking,  he  couldn’t  wait  to  increase  his  lover’s
stamina.  They’d  have  hours—days,  even—of  fun  ahead  of
them!

Adalric knew Seth wouldn’t purposefully choose to wake

with dried cum crusting his skin—and since it was his fault

A Bite of Fulfillment

for putting the human in this situation—he hauled himself
off the bed and into the attached bathroom.

After a few minutes of cleaning up, Adalric tucked his

beloved under the covers, then gave into temptation and slid
in beside him. He curled up around his human, a smile
playing about the corners of his lips at that thought, and fell
asleep.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Seven

eth roused slowly, loath to lose the warm cocoon of sleep.
Except—wait, a heavy arm around his chest and a

muscled leg between his own played a big part in causing
the comfortable lethargy. Adalric! He smiled and snuggled
back against the vampire’s chest.

Realizing what he did, Seth frowned. Wait a minute. Is

this what he really wanted? To wake up in a vampire’s arms
every day and let the other man run his life? Well, not just
any vampire, but maybe if it was Adalric?

He wasn’t sure anymore. Had they even talked last night?

Not  really.  He  still  didn’t  know  what  it  meant  to  be  the
beloved of a vampire leader. He felt an urge to call Bobby,
but what could his ex even tell him? Sure, he was mated to a
leader, but he was a gargoyle leader. That probably wasn’t
very  similar  was  it?  Maybe  he  could  talk  to  Peter.  The
human  who  seemed  rather  infatuated  with  Toni  might  be
able to help him…or at least point him in the right direction.

The light flooding through the windows finally

registered…right about the time Adalric’s dick against his
ass did. Awe, shit! He knew it was the coward’s way, but
suddenly he couldn’t face the morning after.

It took some doing, but Seth managed to slip out of

Adalric’s  grip.  He  grabbed  his  still  packed  duffel  bag  and
slipped  into  the  bathroom.  Choosing  a  pair  of  cargo  shorts
and  a  t-shirt,  Seth  remembered  his  promise  to  Xavier.  He

A Bite of Fulfillment

grinned, looking forward to a day spent getting his hands
dirty. There was nothing better than working up a sweat the
old fashion way, with manual labor.

He’d just slipped into the shower when he felt the

unmistakable breeze that could only be caused by the
bathroom door opening. Seth jerked back when Adalric
opened the shower stall’s glass door and stepped inside.

“G-good morning?” Seth mumbled, his cheeks heating.

Damn, am I blushing? Shit!

Adalric didn’t even pause. He kept coming until he’d

pressed Seth against the wall, which sent a shiver down his
spine. From the cold along my back, not from the hot piece of male

flush against my chest!

When Adalric slipped a hand between them and gripped

both their shafts, Seth gasped. “Fuck!” he squeaked, his hips
bucking involuntarily, his body searching for friction.

Humming, Adalric lowered his head, but Seth dodged his

intended kiss. The vampire growled and his free hand
instantly cupped his jaw in a firm grip.

“Wait,” Seth murmured.
“Don’t want to,” Adalric growled. “You weren’t in bed

when I woke. Had to track you down.”

Okay, that explained the vampire’s dominant surliness.

“Wanted to get cleaned up, but I haven’t brushed, yet,” he
hurried to explain. “Morning breath.”

Adalric lowered his head anyway, muttering right before

he claimed his mouth, “Don’t care about that. Love the way
you taste.”

When his lover thrust in his thick tongue, Seth forgot

every  reason  he  had  for  attempting  to  deny  the  man.  Seth
moaned  at  the  intensely  masculine  taste.  He  welcomed
Adalric’s  tongue  and  sucked  hard.  His  lover  grunted  and
started stroking their shafts.

Charlie Richards

Groaning, Seth gave himself up to the avalanche of

sensations crashing through his system. His lover’s hands on
him, the other man’s cock squeezed against his own, the
smooth flesh rubbing together. Nothing could beat it.
Although, the way Adalric took control of his mouth came in
at a close second.

Thrusting hard into the other man’s fist, Seth felt his balls

pull tight. Ripping his mouth away, he grunted heavily.
“God that’s good. Fuck, yeah, just like that.” Damn, he’d
never considered himself a babbler, but he just couldn’t shut
up.

Fortunately, Adalric didn’t seem to mind. He nibbled his

way  along  Seth’s  jaw,  nipping  lightly  just  like  Seth  liked—
and how the hell did  he know that?—while picking up his
pace,  stripping  their  cocks,  the  fall  of  warm  water  just
enough to ease the worst of the friction.

When he felt the nip of teeth against the fleshy section

where neck met shoulder, he was done. His leaking dick
exploded, his hips bucked, and his body shuddered.

“Uh-ugh!” He knocked his head against the tile wall,

uncaring of the pain.

“That’s it, Seth. Let me see you come apart in my arms,”

Adalric growled.

Seth forced his eyes open and grinned up at the vampire.

Taking the smug look on Adalric’s face—not to mention the
hard cock still pressing against his softening prick—as a
challenge, Seth allowed his legs to buckle and sank to his
knees. Adalric’s brows shot up, but he let him go.

Resting his hands on his lover’s slender hips, Seth peered

up the length of the vampire’s toned body. He liked the
pleased smile curving Adalric’s thin lips, so he lowered his
gaze to the vampire’s gleaming cock.

Seth opened his mouth, then glanced up. “Uh, Bobby said

paranormals can’t give or get anything, right?”

A Bite of Fulfillment

Adalric cupped the back of Seth’s head and grinned.

“That’s correct,” he growled. He urged him forward with a
loose grip. “Show me what ya got.”

Seth didn’t disappoint. He gripped the man’s thick shaft

and  quickly  sucked  down  the  head.  He  massaged  the
sensitive,  wrinkled  flesh  beneath  the  cap  and  traced  the
pulsing  vein  running  the  length  of  the  underside,  then
flicked his tongue into the leaking slit, scooping up Adalric’s
pre-cum. All the while, he sucked strongly each time Adalric
pulled his hips back and rhythmically squeezed the base of
the vampire’s cock with his hand.

“Seth,” Adalric growled in warning.
Grinning obscenely around his mouthful of meat, he

stared up at Adalric through his wet lashes. He sucked,
hard. Adalric’s eyes widened in pleasure, and maybe a little
shock, then cried out hoarsely as his dick thickened and
jerked, emptying thick spurts of cum into Seth’s mouth. He
swallowed it down and continued to work Adalric’s slowly
softening prick until the vampire pulled away, grabbed his
shoulders, and hauled him to his feet.

For several seconds, Adalric devoured his mouth, licking

the remains of his cum from Seth’s mouth, before he slowly
gentled the kiss. As Seth leaned his head against the wall to
catch his breath, for a split second, he thought he caught a
flash of red in Adalric’s eyes, but then it was gone just as
fast.

Adalric stepped back, picked up the washcloth, and,

while soaping it, grinned at him. “Now, that is a good
morning.” He winked. “How about I finish what I
interrupted?”

Seth nodded dumbly, shocked that Adalric—a coven

leader—would stoop to washing him, but wash him he did.
The vampire soaped up a cloth and scrubbed him down

Charlie Richards

with slow, caressing strokes. For some reason, Seth
felt…treasured.

Finally, Adalric pecked a quick butterfly kiss to Seth’s

temple, turned off the water, and led him out of the shower.
Adalric handed him a towel. Seth took it swiftly and quickly
wrapped it around him. After the amazing hand job, then
sucking the vampire off, followed by the sweet washing,
Seth wasn’t certain what to feel.

While the vampire returned to the shower for his own

clean-up,  Seth  made  quick  work  of  drying  himself  off,
shaving,  and  brushing  his  teeth.  He  managed  to  grab  his
clothes and head out before Adalric had even stepped back
out  of  the  shower.  It  was  a  bit  of  a  struggle  to  get  his
underwear and cargo shorts over his still damp ass, but he
felt grateful that at least he wasn’t trying to pull on jeans.

When Adalric joined him, a towel wrapped low around

his slim hips, he leaned against the dresser and crossed his
arms over his chest. “In a hurry? I thought we could have
breakfast delivered, perhaps sit on the balcony and enjoy the
morning air?” He waved a hand carelessly toward the door
Seth had yet to explore. “We never did get a chance to talk
much last night.”

That much was true. He’d practically fallen into Adalric’s

arms. It seemed every time they got close he found himself
trying to climb the man’s body like a telephone pole. It was
completely out of character. He’d never been this needy
before.

“I told Xavier, your gardener, that I’d help him today.”

He  didn’t  mention  he  also  wanted  to  find  someone  to
explain  vampire  bonding  to  him…someone  unbiased.  He
sank down onto the trunk at the foot of the bed and yanked
on his  socks and shoes. “I  don’t want  to be late,  so I’ll just
grab  a  couple  pieces  of  fruit  from  the  kitchen,”  he  added,
heading toward the door.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Wait!”
The hard command in Adalric’s tone shot an odd shiver

down Seth’s spine. One he didn’t really want to identify.
That didn’t stop him from pausing and turning back to face
him, though. Adalric crooked his finger.

Seth’s brows shot up, but he moved forward, not

stopping until he stood an arm’s-length from the vampire.
Adalric reached out, cupped his jaw, and used the hold to
bring him closer.

Adalric lowered his head and softly pressed his lips to

Seth’s. “My office is the first door on this hallway. I have a
meeting at ten. It could take a couple hours, but should you
need anything, contact Toni.” He turned, pulled out the top
drawer  of  nearby  desk,  and  pulled  out  a  cell  phone.  “Use
this  for  now.  My  number,  Toni’s  number,  as  well  as  Peter
and  Gerald’s  are  in  there,  too.  You  shouldn’t  have  any
trouble getting hold of anyone should you need something.”

“Uh, thanks,” Seth said, taking it. “I’m just gonna be in

the garden though.”

Shrugging, Adalric smiled and replied, “Perhaps I just

want to be able to hear your voice whenever I desire.”

It was cheeky, but cute, and Seth snorted, amusement

filling him. “Yeah, that’s it.” He winked. “I’ll be getting dirty
in the garden then.”

“Mmm,” Adalric hummed, letting him go and heading

across the room. “I look forward to cleaning you up later.”

With that parting shot, the vampire opened the closet

door  and  walked  inside.  Curious,  Seth  took  a  couple  steps
over and saw him disappear through a door at the other end
and into what appeared to be a connecting bedroom done in
earth  tones.  His  brows  shot  up  as  he  realized  Adalric  had
placed  him  right  next  to  him.  Had  he  really  decorated  this
room just for Seth as Peter insinuated?

Charlie Richards

He’d have to think on that, surprised at how thoughtful

he  found  the  gesture.  And  the  playful  banter  they’d  just
had?  He  certainly  hadn’t  expected  that.  The  guy  actually
seemed to have a sense of humor…and the sex was beyond
amazing. Tapping the phone against his thigh, he sighed. He
couldn’t  remember  when  he’d  come  so  hard,  and
technically, he hadn’t done more than touch him.

Geez, how will it feel when he actually wraps his lips around

me?

His cock started to plump just from that thought,

regardless of the great orgasm he’d had just twenty minutes
before. Shaking his head, Seth shoved the phone in his
pocket and once again headed for the door.

Pulling it open, Seth spotted Toni leaning against the

wall. Toni grinned and stepped nearer. “Mornin’,” Toni
greeted.

“Hey, do you even sleep?” Seth teased. The guy sure

seemed to be close by all the time. Only when he’d been in
the garden had Toni not been near.

Toni chuckled. “Oh, yeah. I had a very restful night,” he

stated, waggling his eyebrows comically.

Snorting, Seth rolled his eyes as he remembered Peter

sitting on Toni’s lap. “Yeah. I bet,” he stated drolly.

Listening to Toni’s laughter, Seth headed down the

hallway. Glancing around, he pointed at a door. “Adalric’s
office?”

Toni nodded and Seth kept moving.
True to his word, he stopped by the kitchen for breakfast.

He declined the offer of sausage, eggs, and hash browns.
Had it been lunch, Seth would have loved it, but he didn’t
like anything quite that heavy this early. “Just the banana
and orange is fine,” he assured, snagging the fruit from the
bowl on the counter.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Okay, if you change your mind, I’ll probably be cooking

for the next hour or so,” the black haired guy at the stove
told him.

“Thanks, man,” Seth replied, heading out the sliding

door.

He found Xavier just rising from a chair on the back deck,

an empty plate in front of him and cup of coffee in hand. The
older man smiled. “Ah, so I didn’t scare you away.”

Grinning, Seth replied, “Nope,” and took a bite of his

banana.

“And you’re even dressed for work. Let me just refill my

coffee, and we’ll get on our way,” Xavier replied.

“Ya know, a cup of coffee actually does sound good,”

Seth replied.

“I’ll get you one. Cream or sugar?” Toni spoke up from

behind him.

“Black.” Seth stood outside and waited. Resting his hands

on his hips, he inhaled deeply, drawing the fresh air into his
lungs. He smiled as he watched a hummingbird flit around a
feeder before seeming to hover in place as it drank the sugar
water.

“They’re neat, aren’t they?”
Seth spun at the sound of the voice and nearly stumbled.
The guy behind him grabbed his upper arm, offering

support. “Whoa, sorry, Seth. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

On instinct, Seth pulled from the guy’s grip, and the man

didn’t try to keep him. He swept his gaze over the guy
quickly. “I’m sorry. Who are you? How do you know my
name?”

The man laughed and held out a hand. “I’m Spieron

Virche, and everyone knows who you are,” he told him.
“Everyone’s happy for Adalric. I hear he’s been alone for a
long time.” He shrugged.

Charlie Richards

Seth nodded slowly as he took in the man. He had auburn

hair  with  more  red  than  brown,  classically  handsome
features  with  high  cheekbones,  an  aquiline  nose,  and  lips
that  were  slightly  thinner  on  the  top  than  the  bottom.  He
stood  about  Seth’s  height  with  a  slightly  leaner  frame,
though not by much.

He smiled pleasantly, and waved a hand toward the

hummingbird feeder. “They’re amazing, aren’t they?
Hummingbirds? They can actually hover.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that,” Seth commented, returning his

gaze  to  the  feeder.  A  different  bird  now  drank  from  it.
“There  are  a  number  of  plants  that  attract  them  here,”  he
said,  pointing  at  the  bed  of  blue  and  pink  morning  glories
ten feet away near the mouth of the garden.

Xavier chuckled as he walked up behind them. “Ah, yes.

So pretty. A request of yours, I believe, Spieron. They do
require me to keep a sharp eye.”

Spieron’s green eyes widened. “Really? What do you

mean? I just read they attracted hummingbirds and thought
they’d look nice.”

Snorting, Seth commented, “He means they can spread

fast and choke out other plants. Some people consider them
a weed, what with the way they can kinda take over.”

“Damn,” Spieron grimaced. “I didn’t know that. If they’re

too much work—”

Xavier patted the slightly shorter man and shook his

head. “Don’t worry about it. If I weren’t out here every day
anyway, I might consider it. As it is, it only takes a moment
to make certain their vines aren’t spreading too far.”

“Oh, okay.” Spieron looked troubled, but he accepted the

gardener’s words.

“Come on, Seth,” Xavier said, handing him a travel mug.

“This is from Toni,” he explained, glancing to his left at the
vampire in question, who now stood deep in conversation

A Bite of Fulfillment

with a dark-haired guy Seth didn’t know. “Let’s get this
show on the road.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Seth replied. He looked toward

Spieron and nodded, then followed Xavier through a hedge
to a shed tucked discreetly behind the foliage.

Several hours later, drenched in sweat, Seth lowered the

hedge trimmers and rolled his shoulders. Xavier chuckled,
eyeing him with sympathy where he stood several yards
down the trail.

“Damn,” Seth muttered. “I never considered myself short

until I had to trim so many feet of nine-foot hedges.”

“Then I think I’ve arrived just in time,” called Peter.
Seth turned just in time to see the man sashay around the

corner. What really caught his attention, however, was the
platter he carried piled with finger sandwiches, fruit, chips,
and huge glasses of what appeared to be iced tea.

“Careful, Peter. Don’t let Adalric see Seth drooling over

you like that.”

From Xavier’ tone, Seth knew he teased, but that didn’t

stop Peter from shimmying a bit while saying, “Oh, don’t
worry, Xav. I know exactly what Seth’s really drooling for.”
With his head, he motioned toward several decorative
benches set around a small fountain situated off to the side
of the main path. “Have a seat and take a load off.”

Seth didn’t need to be invited twice. He dropped

unceremoniously  onto  a  bench  and  groaned  as  he  felt  the
twinge  in  his  back.  After  setting  his  sheers  down,  he  lifted
his  arms  over  his  head  and  twisted  this  way  and  that,
making his back pop a couple times.

“Damn, that’s good,” he mumbled.
Xavier chuckled and settled on a second bench. Seth

couldn’t help noticing that, even as old as he appeared, the

Charlie Richards

gardener didn’t seem any worse for wear. He didn’t know if
he should be jealous or impressed.

“So, how do you like it here so far?” Peter asked, handing

him a plate piled with food and a tall glass of iced tea.

Seth took a moment to take several long swallows. “Ugh,

yeah,” he sighed. He could actually feel the chill work its
way down his throat, soothing him from the inside out.

Peter snickered, a pleased grin on his face. Even Xavier

appeared amused, though his brow was cocked in silent
interest.

Picking up the sandwich, Seth took a bite. “Mmm,

chicken salad. Nice.” Once he’d swallowed, he admitted,
“I’m still coming to grips with the whole paranormal thing.”

“Oh.” Peter sat down on the bench on Seth’s other side,

pulling his legs up, and crossing them in front of him. “Well,
I’ve  known  about  them  since  I  was  six,”  he  shared.  “A
vampire  saved  me  from  a  house  fire,  but  it  killed  my
parents.  I  didn’t  have  any  family,  so  he  adopted  me.”  He
grinned suddenly. “Hey, maybe I can answer some of your
questions. I know just about everything.”

Seth’s brows shot up. From Peter’s expression and the

way he shared his past, Peter seemed pretty well adjusted.
“Well, I do have questions about how the whole bonding
thing works,” he admitted. “Do you think you could tell me
about that?”

“Well, I can tell you a few things, but why don’t you ask

Adalric? Wouldn’t he tell you?” Peter looked generally
confused.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, like maybe he was going

behind Adalric’s back, he struggled with a proper answer.
“Well, I was hoping to, I don’t know…” He grimaced. “A list
of pros and cons, things to expect, what’s normal, what’s not
normal, that kind of thing. Ya know?”

A Bite of Fulfillment

Peter beamed. “Oh, okay.” He waved toward the

gardener. “I bet Xavier could tell you all about it.”

“You’re bonded with a vampire?” Seth asked.
“No, silly,” Peter snickered. “Xavier is a vampire.”
Seth just knew his jaw sagged open in shock. “You are?”

He gave the gardener a closer once over, his gaze landing on
the sandwich in his hand. “But you’re eating!” Then he
remembered the carrot stick Adalric had swiped from his
plate the night before. “Is that normal?”

Xavier sighed and shook his head. “Well, damn, you

really don’t know much. How is that possible?”

He’d be offended, but the words were said kindly, with

almost a fatherly concern. Shrugging, he explained, “I was
near Durango trying to stop some buddies, well, ex-buddies,
really, from giving my ex-boyfriend crap.”

“That’s a lot of exes,” Peter pointed out.
Nodding, Seth told them, “When he left me, I realized

what assholes they were and stopped associating with them.
They blamed it on Bobby, so I went to the town he’d moved
to, intending to warn him.” He grimaced. “It wasn’t like he
was taking my calls anymore, not that I blamed him.”

“Ouch.”
As much as Seth appreciated Peter’s commiseration, he

knew  it  was  his  fault.  Not  wanting  to  dwell  on  his
foolishness,  he  continued  his  tale.  “Well,  I  found  him  all
right,  shortly  after  my  friends  had  pulled  him  from  a
restaurant.  A  rogue  vampire  attacked  them.  They  might
have been assholes to Bobby, but no one deserved to die like
that,”  he  whispered,  remembering  the  vampire’s  glowing
eyes, gleefully feral expression, and cackling laughter.

“I grabbed Bobby and we ran. The vampire chased us. I

crashed my truck. We were saved by Maelgwn, Bobby’s
gargoyle mate, and Adalric,” he quickly finished. “I never

Charlie Richards

actually got to go home. They declared me legally dead.”
Okay, that last bit might have been said a little bitterly.

Instead of commenting on it, Xavier nodded. “I suppose

that is not the best way to be introduced to paranormals, is
it?”

Peter snorted. “Ya think?”
“Well, I guess I can share a few things then,” Xavier

stated, thoughtfully rubbing his jaw.

For the next thirty minutes, Xavier explained how

important finding a beloved was to a vampire. He explained
how they  became possessive, wanted to keep their  beloved
safe at all costs, and even dominant and pushy to make that
happen.  He  also  shared  how  the  vampire  viewed  their
beloved’s  happiness  as  one  of  the  most  important  things
above all others, besides their safety, of course.

Seth learned his life would be extended after they bonded,

so he wouldn’t die until the vampire did. He’d become more
immune to diseases, his bones stronger, and he’d gain an
almost sixth sense of when his vampire was near.

He lifted a hand suddenly. “I’m sorry…wait, what? We’ll

be able to speak how?”

“Telepathically,” Xavier said again, this time a bit more

softly.

“Telepathically,” Seth mumbled. That’s what he’d

thought he’d heard. “You mean, in my head, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Xavier confirmed.
Obviously sensing Seth’s growing discomfort, Peter

reached  across  the  gap  between  benches  and  touched  his
arm.  “But  he’ll  help  you  learn  to  control  it,  so  you  don’t
always have him in your head. You’ll be able to choose,” he
assured.  “Plus,”  he  added,  “I’m  sure  he’d  never  just  barge
into  your  mind  without  your  permission.  That  would  be
rude and Adalric wants you happy. You’re his beloved.”

A Bite of Fulfillment

He said that as if that would solve everything. Seth

wondered how that worked. Clearing his throat, he decided
he would revisit the whole telepathy issue another time. Seth
really had one more huge concern. “What happens when
your eyes turn…red? Does that mean you’re about to
attack?”

Charlie Richards

Chapter Eight

dalric pushed the door open to Daystrum’s room and
crossed to the bed. He smiled upon seeing his second’s

eye flicker open. “Heyyyyy,” he greeted softly, drawing out
the word. “If you needed a rest, you really just should have
said something,” he teased.

His second chuckled, then groaned. “Shit, don’t make me

laugh.”

Gently resting his hand on Daystrum’s good shoulder, he

murmured, “Sorry, old friend.”

Daystrum’s brow creased. “Shit, that must be the first

time I’ve ever heard you say that,” he whispered.

Smirking, Adalric quipped, “I’m sure I don’t know what

you’re talking about.”

“When do I get to meet the human who’s mellowed you

out?” Daystrum pressed, his eyes twinkling despite the pain
he must obviously be feeling.

Adalric smiled. “As soon as you can get out of bed on

your own. How about that? You can receive us in that fancy
sitting room of yours.”

“Sounds like a plan,” the injured vampire mumbled.
Now that his friend had finally woken, Adalric had to

ask. “Did you see who did this to you?”

“No,” came the unfortunate answer. “And they were

doused in liquor, so I couldn’t even tell you if I recognized
their scent.”

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Damn,” Adalric muttered. It sure wasn’t what he’d

wanted to hear.

“I’m sorry, sir.”
Grimacing, Adalric shook his head once. “Your health is

far more important to me than that, Daystrum. Just get well.
We’ll figure this out.”

Daystrum sighed. “Shit.”
“Hey, relax. I’m just glad you’re healing. You’ve had a

few of us worried.”

“I hate feeling this helpless. How the fuck could I have

been so careless to let them get a drop on me?” Daystrum
hissed, clearly frustrated.

“Them? How many do you suspect?”
“Three, maybe four.”
“You relax,” Adalric reassured, even though all he

wanted to do was howl. He was a good leader, and possibly
having four traitors pissed him the hell off. “We’ll get these
bastards, one way or another,” he vowed.

He went to stand, but Daystrum lifted a hand and

gripped his sleeve. “Wait. How’re you and Seth?”

“Um.” Adalric paused and licked his lips, trying to come

up with a…well, maybe not an honest answer, but
something that was fairly accurate. “You know…better. Not
great, yet, but I think he’s coming around.”

“Coming around?” Daystrum sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Gods above, why do you make everything so difficult?”

“Me!” Adalric snapped. “He was attacked by a rogue

vampire. I could have lost him before I found him!” He
clicked his jaw shut as that realization sank in. “Fuck.”

Daystrum actually smiled and squeezed his shoulder.

“Have you told him how you feel, yet?”

“How I feel?” He tried to sound confused, but he really

knew what his second meant. They’d known each other for a

Charlie Richards

couple centuries. “Shit. No, but it’s on the to-do list,” he
admitted.

Once again, Daystrum chuckled, then grunted. “Fuck.

Told you not to make me laugh,” he grumbled. Adalric just
scowled at him. Once he’d settled, Daystrum smiled wanly
at him, suddenly looking tired. “Don’t wait too long, my
friend.”

He thought about saying some snarky response, but then

saw his second’s eyelids droop. Instead, he patted the
injured vampire’s shoulder and whispered, “You get some
rest. I’ll see you later.”

Before he’d even made it out of the suite of rooms, the

main door opened and Edwin slipped inside. He flicked a
glance toward Daystrum’s bedroom, then refocused on
Adalric. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but there’s a detective here
looking for both you and Seth Goodwin.”

“What?” he gasped. He’d worked with Maelgwn to have

Seth declared legally dead, burned to death in a truck fire to
be exact. Why would a detective come here looking for him?
“How the hell—”

Edwin lifted his hands in confusion.
“Son of a bitch,” he growled. He paused and shoved a

hand  through  his  hair.  “Shit.”  He  knew  he  couldn’t  hide
Seth,  not  from  a  detective.  Although  he  hated  when  a
decision  came  back  to  bite  him  in  the  ass,  Adalric  would
have to see this one through. “He’s with the gardener today.
Contact Xavier and ask him to bring Seth to the salon, then
show the detective there. I’ll meet him there.”

“Yes, sir,” Edwin answered quickly.
They both left Daystrum’s suite of rooms and Adalric

shut the door quietly behind him. He glanced up and down
the hall, relieved to find it empty, and rested his shoulder
against the wall and sighed.

A Bite of Fulfillment

This wing remained fairly quiet…well, except for at night.

He smiled at that thought. The house had four wings. The
first, and smallest, was for him and his beloved. The second
was for his inner circle including his second, enforcers, and
top three trackers. On occasion, they had guests, and they
were also put in that wing for safety reasons, Adalric’s, not
theirs.

The third wing housed the humans that lived with them,

each  having  their  own  suite  including  a  living  room,
bedroom,  and  bathroom.  One  could  say  the  same  for  the
fourth wing, where the remaining twenty plus members of
his  coven  slept.  Between  the  two  groups,  they  kept  the
kitchen,  dining  room,  entertainment  room,  and  communal
rooms hopping.

His wasn’t a large coven, by any means, but he’d always

thought of them as family. He frowned at the wall as if he
could see through it and peer at his injured second. Why did
every family have one bad apple? Or, in this case, three or
four? Pushing away from the wall, Adalric straightened his
shoulders and headed toward the salon.

He opened the door and strode inside. When he shut the

door,  the  human  standing  near  the  fireplace  inspecting  a
picture turned to face him. The detective was an older man,
late forties or early fifties, with thick gray hair and just the
beginning  of  a  paunch  at  his  waist.  When  he  reached  out
and  took  the  man’s  offered  hand,  his  grip  was  strong  and
sure, belying the age spots on his skin.

“Detective Hanson,” the man said.
Adalric nodded. “Adalric Bachmeier. How can I help you,

Detective?”

“You’re the owner of the place?”
“Yes, that’s right.” He waved toward a chair. “Would you

like a seat? I’m sure Gerald will be here any moment with
coffee.”

Charlie Richards

As if on cue, the big vampire entered, carrying a tray

holding a carafe and several coffee mugs.

“That wasn’t necessary,” Detective Hanson said, but he

looked grateful as he took the steaming mug, accepting a
dash of cream. Once he sat back in his chair, he said, “I have
a report that a mister Seth Goodwin is staying here. As he
was reported missing, then deceased, we just need to make
certain—”

The door opened at that moment and Xavier paused in

the doorway. For just a second, he stood there with a
shocked expression on his face. Just as quickly, it was gone
and he moved to the side and motioned Seth into the room.
Adalric made a note to ask Xavier about his reaction later.

He sucked in a breath at the sight of his beloved. His sun-

kissed skin glowed with health, dirt clung to his shorts, and
a bit of vine poked from his hair, but to Adalric, he’d never
looked sexier.

Adalric forced himself to focus on the moment. “Detective

Hanson,” he said, drawing the man’s attention away from
the pair that entered. “This is Seth Goodwin.” He indicated
his lover. “Seth, this is Detective Hanson. It seems there are
some questions about…I’m sorry. What is the concern?”

To Adalric’s pleasure, after Seth shook the detective’s

hand, he didn’t hesitate to cross to the sofa and sit beside
him.

“We’re just following up. It’s routine, really,” Detective

Hanson answered evasively. He turned and looked at Seth.
“Are you aware you were reported dead, sir?”

Seth colored slightly and glanced toward Adalric. “Uh,

yeah. I was told that. Uh, I had planned to rectify that, but I
just got in town yesterday and, well…” He shrugged. “I
guess it wasn’t really a priority.”

“Not a priority to let people who are mourning for you

know you’re okay?” the detective asked sharply.

A Bite of Fulfillment

“Is that tone completely necessary?” Adalric snapped.

How dare this human speak to my beloved that way!

Seth placed his hand on Adalric’s thigh and squeezed.

“No, no, I get what he’s saying. A lot has happened and I’m
still recovering, so…” He shrugged.

“Recovering?” The detective pounced on that bit of

information. The human swept his gaze over the four of
them. “Would you mind if I spoke with Seth alone, please?”

Adalric wanted to refuse. It wasn’t too long ago that his

human had said he didn’t want to be here. Would his lover
take this opportunity to leave him? His heart clenched at the
thought.

Seth patting his leg drew his attention. “I’ll be fine,” Seth

assured.

Nodding once, he cupped Seth’s nape and drew him

close, capturing his mouth in a short, carnal kiss. Just as
quickly, knowing if he didn’t, he’d be tempted to pull his
lover onto his lap and go too far, Adalric released him and
rose. He headed toward the door, a tilt of his head causing
Gerald to stand and join him.

Taking in the way Xavier still stood rigid beside the door,

Adalric rested a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?” he asked
quietly.

Xavier tensed beneath his hand, then met his eyes and

gave him a pained smile. “Of course.” He turned and left the
room.

Adalric quickly followed, hearing Gerald softly shut the

door. “Xavier, is something wrong?” he called to the older
vampire.

Slowly, Xavier turned to face him, his brows drawn in

consternation, but it was the dazed expression that
concerned Adalric…until Xavier spoke. “I never thought I’d
meet him. I’d given up hope.”

“What do you mean?” Gerald asked.

Charlie Richards

“I believe the detective is my beloved,” Xavier whispered.
Adalric smiled. “Congratulations. We’ll see what we can

find out about him, shall we?”

“Thank you, sir.”
Nodding, Adalric returned his focus to the pair of men in

the room beyond the door. With his heightened hearing, it
wasn’t difficult to make out their conversation.

“You mentioned recovering, Seth. Recovering from what?

Are you here of your own free will?” the detective asked.

Adalric held his breath, wondering what his beloved

would say. Would he take this opportunity to ask for help in
leaving?

“Oh, yeah, yeah, I’m good,” Seth responded. “I, uh, it

probably seems sudden to someone else. I get that.” He
sounded like he was smiling. “I wrecked my truck and had
amnesia. Adalric was there, visiting a friend, and helped me
out.” Seth snorted. “We really hit it off and, when most of
my memory returned, I decided to move out here with him.”

“Someone reported that you were forced here. Are you

saying that’s not true?” the detective pressed.

“Forced here. That’s ridiculous. Who told you that?” Seth

asked, his tone darkening.

Adalric wanted to know the same damn thing.
“A mister Chad Burtwick came to us this morning,”

Detective Hanson replied.

“That son of a bitch,” Seth snarled.
“Not a friend of yours?”
Seth heaved a sigh and Adalric could imagine his lover

rolling his eyes. “No, most definitely not. He had designs on
my man and didn’t like it when I came home with him.”

“Ah, then I’ll close this file and if Mister Burtwick comes

around again, arrest him for making a false report.”

Adalric heard clothes rustle and the creak of furniture,

indicating they stood. He stepped back and waited.

A Bite of Fulfillment

When the door opened, Seth smirked. “Waiting for

something?” he teased.

“For you,” Adalric replied. He reached out and grabbed

his  beloved,  making  no  bones  about  his  plans.  Seth  didn’t
fight  him,  coming  willingly,  and  Adalric  wrapped  his  arm
around  Seth’s  waist  and  tucked  him  close  to  his  side  and
stole a swift kiss before turning back to the detective. “Was
there anything else?”

“No, that’ll be all. Thank you for allowing me to interrupt

your day,” Detective Hanson replied. Adalric noted his gaze
flitted between the two of them, then away, as if
uncomfortable with a show of affection between two men.

Well, shit, that doesn’t bode well for Xavier!
“Would you like to join us for lunch?” Adalric asked.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Seth’s surprised

expression,  but  he  kept  his  focus  on  the  detective.  Hanson
looked  toward  Xavier,  then  the  floor.  Could  he  be  a  closet
case?  Or  maybe  he  didn’t  understand  his  attraction  to  the
older gentleman?

“Uh, no, I’m afraid I need to get back to the station. Thank

you, and good luck with, uh, everything,” the detective
finished lamely.

Adalric nodded. It looked like they’d have to find out

more about the man. “Gerald, if you could show Detective
Hanson out. Good day.”

Xavier tensed, his hands fisting as Gerald accompanied

the detective down the hall.

“Xavier,” Adalric said the vampire’s name softly. “Why

don’t you come with us?”

“What’s going on?” Seth murmured as they started

walking.

Adalric glanced over his shoulder, then turned to his

beloved. “It seems the good detective is Xavier’s beloved.”

Charlie Richards

“Really?” Seth grinned at the older vampire. “Hey,

congrats. How ya gonna catch your man?”

“I have no idea,” Xavier replied softly, looking a little

dazed.

Adalric rested his free hand on the gardener’s shoulder.

“We’ll figure it out. I’ll put Garner on him and have him
verify friends and family.”

“Thanks,” Xavier responded. “I think I’m gonna go back

to my gardens. Clear my head,” he said almost absently. He
looked at Seth. “You coming?”

Before Seth could respond, Adalric replied, “No, Seth and

I have some talking to do.” He grinned at his human. “Don’t
we, beloved?”

Seth blushed.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Chapter Nine

dalric led Seth to his office. Seth glanced around with
interest, taking in the dark oak furniture and hardwood

floors. A pair of tan leather chairs rested on a braided green
and brown throw rug. Shelves lined the left wall, filled
nearly to capacity with leather bound books.

A bay window lined the wall on the far side, behind the

desk and chair. The desk was a massive L-shaped
monstrosity, pushed flush to the far wall and then jutting
into the room. A slender laptop rested on top of it.

Still holding Seth’s hand, Adalric pulled him around the

desk. The vampire flopped back into his equally mammoth
desk chair, then pulled Seth down onto his lap. He frowned.
“I don’t really do laps,” he said, intending to stand.

“Humor me,” Adalric stated. “I like holding you.”
Grumbling under his breath, Seth eased back, wiggling a

bit  to  find  a  fairly  comfortable  position.  Adalric  grinned,
ignoring  him  as  he  held  onto  him  with  one  hand  and
reached  for  his  desk  phone  with  the  other.  He  pressed  the
intercom button and signaled for the kitchen.

“’Yellow,” said a friendly feminine voice.
“Vickie?” Adalric questioned.
“Hey, sir. What can I do for you?” she greeted.
“Track down Garner and send him to my office,” he

ordered.

Charlie Richards

“You got it, boss. Anything else? Ya want lunch for Seth

delivered, too?”

Adalric paused and looked at him. “You hungry?”
Seth shook his head, appreciating the option to decline.

“No. Peter brought me food earlier.”

Nodding, Adalric answered, “No, Vickie. That will be

all.”

“So, who’s this Garner guy?” he asked after Adalric

disconnected the intercom, unable to contain his curiosity.
“How’s he gonna help?”

Adalric leaned back in his chair and wrapped both arms

around Seth’s torso. He slipped one hand under his shirt
and started leisurely running his fingers over his abs.
“Garner is my tech guru. He will dig up info on the detective
that we will use to help Xavier connect with his beloved.”

He grinned and nibbled Seth’s neck. “Although ever-

increasing  technology  makes  it  more  and  more  difficult  to
hide  our  existence,  it  does  help  us  in  other  ways,  like
figuring  out  how  to  seduce  our  beloveds,  once  we  meet
them.”

Seth snickered. Then, Adalric’s clever fingers rose higher

and plucked a nipple, the sound turning into a grunting
moan. Adalric hummed and scraped his teeth across the
tendon of Seth’s neck.

“Shit,” he hissed. “That shouldn’t turn me on so much.”
“Sure it should,” Adalric whispered, the warm air of his

breath over Seth’s wet skin causing goose bumps to erupt
over his skin. “You’re my beloved. You should love my
teeth.”

Fortunately, he didn’t have to think up a response. A

sharp knock on the door sounded through the office. Adalric
sighed and called, “Enter.”

When Seth moved to get off his lap, Adalric tightened his

hold. “Stay,” he growled.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Huffing a sigh, he settled, again. They’d need to have a

talk about this lap-sitting thing, Seth decided.

A pale, slender man with shoulder-length bleach-blond

hair and hazel eyes strode into the room. The man stopped
in front of the desk and stood at parade rest. Seth would
never have guessed it from looking at the lean, nearly skinny
vampire, but from his stance, maybe he’d been in the
military?

“Yes, Adalric?”
“Relax, Garner,” Adalric ordered lightly.
“Yes, sir.” The only thing that changed about the man was

a slight loosening of his shoulders.

Adalric smiled. “I have a job for you, Garner. I need

information on the detective who was here, Detective
Hanson. Find out what you can and report back in twenty-
four hours.”

Seth’s brows shot up. That wasn’t a lot of time.
Instead of looking in the least bit worried about the short

time-frame, Garner asked, “How deep do you want me to
go?”

“Personal information. Hobbies. Friends. Who he spends

the most time with. Habits. That sort of thing.”

“Yes, sir.” Garner responded. “Is there anything else, sir?”
Adalric shook his head. “No. That will be all.”
Garner nodded curtly, turned on his heel, and headed

toward the door. With his hand on the doorknob, he paused
and looked at them over his shoulder. “Congratulations, sir.
Welcome to the coven, Seth.”

“Thanks,” Seth replied while Adalric returned the man’s

nod.

Garner slipped out of the room.
“Wow, he’s…reserved,” Seth commented, uncertain how

else to describe the man.

Charlie Richards

Adalric chuckled. “Very true. He doesn’t have much of a

personality, but he’s the best at background checks. He’ll dig
up info about the detective and we’ll use it to help Xavier
bag his man,” he said, winking.

Seth shifted on Adalric’s lap a bit so he didn’t have to

crane his neck so far to see the man. “You surprise me.”

“How so?”
“I wouldn’t have thought you’d take such an…active role

in your people’s lives,” Seth said, choosing his words
carefully.

Smiling, Adalric told him, “If I don’t know each of my

coven members, I don’t know if they’re happy, or what I
need to do to fix their problems.”

“Okay, I can see that.” Seth cocked his head. “You’ve

introduced people as enforcers and trackers. Do you have a
beta? Don’t you paranormal groups always have a second in
command?”

Adalric’s smile faded, and Seth worried he’d said

something inappropriate. Slowly, the vampire nodded. “Yes,
I do have a second in command. I just call him my second.
His name is Daystrum Striplan. The reason I had to come
home so quickly, that I had to rush you, was because he was
attacked.”

“Attacked!” Seth gasped. “By whom? Why?”
“Probably the usual reason…someone wants to take over

my coven and taking out my second would weaken me. As
for  whom?  That’s  the  mystery.  We  don’t  know,  yet.”  He
threaded his fingers through Seth’s hair and gripped him in
a  loose  hold.  “That’s  why  you  must  always  remain  with  a
vampire  I  trust.  Gerald,  or  Toni,  or  Xavier.  Even  Edwin  or
Darian, I’ll introduce you to them soon.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Shit? Was nowhere safe?

A Bite of Fulfillment

“He will be. He looks forward to meeting you.” Adalric

smiled. “Once he’s not on bed rest anyway. No one wants to
be met the first time that way,” he added dryly.

Seth nodded. “That I can understand.”
“Now,” Adalric murmured, peering intensely at him. “I

have to ask. You could have tried to leave with the detective.
Why didn’t you?”

Seth understood the vampire’s surprise since he’d made

no  bones  about  not  wanting  to  be  there  on  more  than  one
occasion. He actually felt bad at all the strain he’d caused the
vampire. Seth just knew, as a coven leader, Adalric probably
wasn’t  known  as  anything  but  impatient  and  dominant—
hey,  his  word  is  law  around  here—but  Adalric  had  worked
really hard to curb that and show him patience.

“I realized how much you struggled to give me time. I

had a chat with Peter and Xavier over lunch,” he explained.
“They told me all about what it means to a vampire to find
their beloved.” Seth clenched his jaw, unable to believe he
was about to offer this, but…without allowing Adalric to
have his ass, they’d never be able to cement their bond.

Adalric gently stroked his fingers over Seth’s abs. “I’m

touched, but…why didn’t you just ask me?”

Seth heard something in his lover’s tone…something he

hadn’t expected to hear. Sadness? Hurt? Cupping Adalric’s
jaw, Seth gently rubbed his fingers over the vampire’s lips.

“I think…” he started, searching for the right words. “I

needed to hear it from a third party. Someone who didn’t
have a vested interest in us getting along, ya know? I just
needed bare facts, not colored by emotion. They were able to
give that to me.”

“Ah, okay,” Adalric replied softly.
Something in his tone told Seth he was trying very hard to

understand, and he appreciated it. Before he could show
how much, Adalric replied, “And what did you decide?”

Charlie Richards

Grinning, Seth quipped, “I’m here, aren’t I?”
A smile slowly curved Adalric’s lips, turning into a

genuine grin. “Yes, you are. You know what that means?”

Seth’s blood heated at the possessive look. “What would

that be?” he managed to whisper through a suddenly dry
mouth.

“I’m keeping you, Seth,” Adalric growled.
The vampire rose, carrying Seth with him, once again

showing  off  his  strength.  This  time,  Seth  kept  in  his  cry  of
surprise.  He  clutched  Adalric’s  shirt  and  wrapped  his  legs
around  the  man’s  waist,  vowing  to  enjoy  the  ride  as  his
vampire carried him out of the office and down the hall.

Adalric shoved his way through the double doors at the

end  of  the  hall  and  kicked  them  closed  with  his  foot.  Seth
grinned  at  the  vampire’s  eagerness,  hiding  it  against  the
other  man’s  neck.  He’d  never  thought  he’d  enjoy  it—and
he’d never admit it out loud—but being carried around was
growing on him.

When the vampire released him, Seth landed on the bed

and grunted. He levered up on his elbows and smirked up at
his lover. “You in a hurry for somethin’?”

“Yes,” Adalric replied, his voice deep and gruff with lust.

His eyes glowed red, and Seth swallowed hard, his ardor
cooling slightly.

“Look, I know your eyes turn that color for a variety of

reasons,” Seth muttered. “But I don’t suppose you could
keep them mostly normal…could you?”

Adalric paused for a second, then dropped the shirt he’d

just  pulled  from  his  chest.  The  vampire  breathed  in  what
must  have  been  a  calming  breath,  for  his  eyes  returned  to
their  natural  deep  brown.  In  silence,  he  stripped  down
completely and crawled on the bed.

At first, due to the man’s inscrutable look, Seth worried

he’d angered the vampire and he’d no longer be interested.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Except, once on the bed beside Seth, he started peeling off
Seth’s clothes, his movements were economical and sure. He
pulled Seth’s t-shirt from his head, his sneakers and socks
from his feet, and his cargo shorts and underwear from his
waist.

When Seth lay naked, Adalric slipped a hand between his

thighs and with an insistent pressure, parted them. The
vampire gripped his wrists and lifted them to either side of
Seth’s head as he settled between his legs. He levered his big
body over him.

Seth felt the other man’s erection against his own, the

pressure  and  sensation  thickening  his  flagging  shaft.  He
opened and sucked in a harsh gasp, feeling his nipples rasp
against  Adalric’s  smooth  chest  above  him.  The  answering
hard nubs rubbing his pecks made him shiver and buck up
for more contact. Another man above him—no, not just any
man,  but  Adalric—holding  him  down  and  taking  control
turned  him  on  like  nothing  he’d  experienced  before,  or
expected.

Adalric lowered his head and brushed their lips together

softly. Lifting his head, the vampire murmured, “That’s
what freaked you out last night, wasn’t it? My eyes turning
red?”

Unable—or maybe just unwilling—to lie to his lover, Seth

nodded. “I’ve had nightmares about the other vampire’s red
eyes. I know it doesn’t mean you’re crazy but…it’s still hard
to see,” he admitted.

Nodding, Adalric told him, “I’m glad you said something.

When I drink your blood, they will turn red no matter how
much I might will it otherwise. I’m sure you’re aware that
the first time taking a man is easier when on your stomach.”
He smiled slightly, his tension easing. “You won’t even see.”

“And in the future?”

Charlie Richards

“We’ll work on it,” Adalric promised, before growling,

“Now, are you ready to be mine, Seth?”

His breathing sped up and his asshole clenched. Shit? Am

I ready to do this? Staring up into Adalric’s patient, adoring
gaze, Seth knew he was.

“Make me yours.”

A Bite of Fulfillment

Chapter Ten

olding his beloved down, it took every ounce of
Adalric’s already strained patience to wait for Seth to

agree. He blew a sigh of relief through his slightly parted
lips upon hearing his sweet human’s agreement.

Adalric rocked his hips, sliding their shafts together.

“Hmm, excellent,” he hissed, enjoying the smooth glide of
his sensitive prick against Seth’s.

His beloved’s musical mewling told Adalric exactly how

on the edge he was. Never would he have guessed the kinds
of noises Seth would make, and he wanted to learn what
other sounds he could draw from the man.

From the throb pulsing through his own cock and the

aching of his balls, Adalric knew he was right there with
him.

“Shit,” Adalric snarled. “Need you.”
Grabbing Seth’s hips, he shimmied down his lover and

flipped him over. He felt his lover tense beneath him and
smoothed his palms up over his flanks and his back. “Easy,
darling,” he crooned. “I’ll make sure you’re ready.”

Seth looked over his shoulder at him and cocked a brow,

his lip curving in obvious amusement. “Darling?”

Shrugging, Adalric grinned unabashedly. “You’re my

darling. Get used to it.”

While Seth snickered, he took the opportunity to grip his

lover’s ass-cheeks, pull them apart and lower his head.

Charlie Richards

When he slid his tongue along Seth’s cleft and over the
wrinkled skin of his hole, Seth gasped.

“Oh, my God! Had no idea,” he moaned. Grunting, he

spread his legs wider and rocked his hips, offering himself.

Adalric smiled, pleased to discover he was the first to

offer his lover this type of pleasure. He doubled his efforts,
laving his beloved’s entrance then stiffening his tongue and
gently piercing Seth’s opening.

His human howled, his sounds of enjoyment filling the

room. Adalric worked his tongue in and out, bathing Seth’s
entrance, loosening him. He slid one hand down and
palmed his lover’s testicles gently. Seth’s howls turned to
quiet grunts and he rolled his hips, pressing into the contact.

Giving Seth what he wanted, Adalric rolled his balls

while pushing a finger in beside his tongue. When he slid a
second digit into Seth, he curled his fingers and pressed
against the human’s pleasure gland.

Seth moaned and shook. Rocking against Adalric’s face,

he rode his fingers, his bliss apparent in every shiver and
shudder of his body. “P-please,” Seth grunted. “Please,
more.”

“Anything you want, my beloved,” Adalric crooned after

pulling his tongue from Seth’s channel. He leaned forward
and blindly reached under a pillow, searching for the lube
he’d optimistically left there earlier that morning.

He curled his fingers around the tube, grunting with

relief. Pouring a generous dollop on his fingers where they
slid in and out of his lover’s chute, he coated Seth’s internal
walls. Adalric slid a third digit into the man, pegging his
lover’s gland as he loosened him further.

“N-now,” Seth groaned. “Please now.”
Adalric obeyed, more than happy to allow his sexy

human to set the pace, as long as it wouldn’t hurt him.
Besides, he knew he’d need to hurry or he’d spill on the

A Bite of Fulfillment

sheets just from listening to his human’s sexy cries and
watching the way Seth arched and shuddered.

Adalric eased his fingers free, then used the remaining

lube to coat his straining erection. He pinched the base of his
dick, stemming his urge to orgasm. Once he felt he had
himself under control, Adalric aligned his cock head with
Seth’s hole.

“Push out,” he urged.
“I know what to do,” Seth snapped.
His urge to chuckle died when he pushed forward,

popping the cap of his erection into the hot, moist pressure
of Seth’s body. His lover stiffened beneath him, and Adalric
forced himself to still. He stroked his hands down Seth’s
sides, trying to soothe him. Leaning over him, he sucked
softly on the tendon he longed to sink his fangs into.

Lifting his head, he whispered, “Easy. Just breathe for

me.”

“I am breathing,” Seth snarled through gritted teeth,

glaring over his shoulder at him.

Instead of responding, Adalric reached under Seth and

gripped  the  human’s  flagging  erection.  As  he  stroked  him,
he  nuzzled  Seth’s  neck  before  sliding  his  fangs  into  his
beloved’s  neck.  The  dick  he  held  thickened  just  as  blood
flowed over his tongue. Seth cried out and his cum shot over
his fingers.

Adalric thrust forward, sinking his length into Seth’s

clenching chute. His balls slapped against Seth’s ass. Adalric
shuddered, feeling the tight hold of his beloved’s body,
sensations shooting up his cock. Lifting his head, he
groaned. “Seth,” he hissed, struggling to maintain control.

“Oh, fuck, yeah. Move, damn it!”
Grinning, Adalric once more obeyed. He’d have to teach

his lover about topping from the bottom, but now wasn’t the

Charlie Richards

time. He was too on edge, needed to spill too badly, and he
wanted his lover to come with him.

He pulled out, adjusted his angle, and thrust into his

beloved. Seth groaned as Adalric set up a punishing rhythm,
pegging his prostate over and over. The cock in his grip
thickened once more and Adalric reached back and fondled
Seth’s balls.

“Damn,” Seth grunted. He arched his back and started

rocking up, meeting Adalric thrust for thrust. “Yeah, that’s
it. Never thought it’d feel this good.”

“Yeah, darling,” Adalric murmured, licking over his

beloved’s neck. “Always make you feel this good,” he
promised.

“Hold you to that,” Seth panted.
“You ready to come again, my beloved?” Adalric asked,

switching his grip to Seth’s cock. Pride flooded him when he
found his lover’s dick hard and weeping. He swiped his
thumb over the damp head, then remembering the man’s
reaction the night before, he pressed his thumbnail into the
man’s slit.

“Holy shit!” Seth howled, his body bucking.
Adalric sank his prick deep one more time just as he

plunged his fangs into his lover’s neck. The rich metallic
taste of his lover’s life-giving nectar flowed over his tongue
and filled his mouth. Adalric moaned as his balls pulled
tight and shot his seed up his shaft, coating Seth’s passage.

Heady endorphins flooded his veins, making his senses

sing. He sucked down two more mouthfuls before easing his
fangs from his beloved. Adalric felt their bond strengthen
and hummed happily as he swiped his tongue over the
wound on Seth’s neck, closing the tooth holes.

Shifting his body, Adalric flopped sideways, taking his

lover with him. His softening prick slipped from Seth’s hole,
eliciting a grunt from the man. Grinning, Adalric used the

A Bite of Fulfillment

telepathic bond formed between a vampire and his beloved
to speak to his human.

Don’t worry, darling. I’ll slide it back inside you soon.
Seth stiffened, then looked over his shoulder at him. “Was

that you?”

Adalric cringed. “Ah, shit,” he whispered. “I’m sorry,

Seth. I should have told you about that little trick, huh?”

Snorting, Seth rolled to his back and smirked up at him.

“Don’t worry too much. I already heard about it from
Xavier.”

Unable to help himself, Adalric growled low in his throat.

Seth’s  brows  shot  up  and  he  pulled  back.  Adalric  grabbed
him,  yanked  him  close,  and  clutched  Seth  to  his  chest.
“Never  mention  another  man  while  naked  in  our  bed,”  he
warned gruffly, unable to hide his possessive reaction.

“Right,” Seth replied, his voice muffled against Adalric’s

chest. “I’ll, uh, try to remember that.”

“Good,” Adalric replied gruffly, slowly easing his grip as

he worked to get his possessiveness under control.

Once his hold eased enough, Seth looked up at him and

quirked an eyebrow. “We really do need to work on our
communication.”

Adalric nodded. “When you’re right, you’re right,” he

teased.  Pressing  a  soft  kiss  to  Seth’s  lips,  he  flicked  his
tongue  into  Seth’s  mouth  for  a  quick  taste  before  pulling
back. Grinning over at him, he quipped, “You know, if you
weren’t  so  sexy  that  I  can’t  keep  my  hands  off  you,  I
wouldn’t have this problem.”

Seth snorted. “Yeah, right. You’re the sexy one.”
He grinned. The way Seth’s face flushed pink, Adalric

figured his handsome human hadn’t meant to say that out
loud. Having no desire to embarrass Seth further, he simply
said, “I’m glad you find me appealing. Just know that I find
you just as appealing,” he assured. His lover still didn’t look

Charlie Richards

convinced,  but  not  interested  in  getting  into  an  argument
about  something  so  asinine,  Adalric  captured  Seth’s  lower
lip  between  his  own  and  sucked  briefly.  Releasing  the
reddened, plump flesh, he said, “I’ll be right back. I’ll get a
cloth to clean you up.”

Ten minutes later, cleaned and curled up under the sheet,

Adalric held his sleeping lover. Finally, after weeks of
waiting, he held Seth exactly where Adalric needed him…at
his side. He wondered briefly what he’d need to do to keep
him there before the lure of slumber claimed him.

“Are you saying you can’t find Chad?” Adalric asked

coldly. He tried to focus on their conversation, but his mind
kept  straying  to  last  night  and  the  candlelit  dinner  he  and
Seth had enjoyed after they’d woken from their little nap. It
had  gone  extremely  well,  if  he  did  say  so  himself.  It  had
ended  in  another  round  of  fucking,  followed  by  a  shared
shower, then more cuddle time leading to a rub off session
before falling asleep. They’d even managed a bit of talking.

Besides, he couldn’t give a fuck where Chad was as long

as he wasn’t bothering them anymore. At this point, the
human had to know his little stunt with the kidnapping
charge didn’t work, and if he ever showed his face around
here again, Adalric would kill him.

“No, sir. I’m sorry. He’s not at the condo he requested set

up for him, and from the scent of the place, he never has
been,” Felicia replied.

That finally got his attention. Adalric’s eyes narrowed as

he took in Felicia’s tense posture. She stared at the desk,
keeping her gaze lowered, not wanting to raise his ire any
further than she probably figured the news already would.

“Son of a bitch,” Adalric whispered. He saw Felicia’s

shoulders tense, but knew it wasn’t his tracker’s fault. “Bring

A Bite of Fulfillment

me Edwin,” he growled. Where had his enforcer dropped
Chad off?

“Right away, sir.” Felicia nodded crisply, then practically

fled from the room.

Adalric sucked in a breath, then tapped into his link with

his  beloved.  He  could  practically  feel  the  enjoyment  Seth
derived  from…whatever  the  hell  he  was  doing  in  the
garden.  Damn,  he  wished  he  could  be  watching  his  lover
right now.

Everything okay?
Seth’s worried question, spoken into his mind, caused

Adalric’s brows to shoot up even as he grinned. Evidently,
he hadn’t been containing his emotions and Seth had felt
them. Ah, worried about me, darling?

Well, sure. I can feel your frustration. What’s up?
He wondered briefly how much he should share. A brisk

knock interrupted his musings. “Enter,” he called, then said
through their link, I’ll explain in a bit. How about I bring you

and Xavier lunch shortly? I could do for some sunshine.

Okay.
Adalric smiled at his beloved’s response. He realized now

that Seth might not have been trying to be quite as rude as
he’d assumed back at the gargoyle’s home. For the most
part, his beloved just happened to be a man of few words.

Returning his focus where it needed to be, Adalric

watched Garner enter the room. He leaned back in his chair
and relaxed for both of them as Garner stood straight and
tall before him, his hands clasped behind his back. “Have a
seat,” Adalric offered, waving a hand toward one of the
comfortable chairs opposite him.

“I’d prefer to stand, sir,” Garner replied.
“Suit yourself,” Adalric responded. “What have you

learned?”

Charlie Richards

Garner fixed his gaze on the wall behind Adalric and

rattled  off  briskly,  “Detective  Hanson  is  forty-seven  years
old. His first name is Owen. He was married for seventeen
years  before  divorcing  amicably  with  his  wife,  Marion
Swainer…she  is  now  remarried.  They  have  one  child
together, a boy named Nate Hanson, now twenty-seven. He
is currently single, works more hours than not. He sees his
son  a  couple  times  a month  and  he  and  his  ex  are  friendly
when  meeting  for  holidays.  He  enjoys  BBQing,  and  on
occasion, shares a steak with his cop buddies.”

Finally, Garner paused and met his gaze. “He’s friends

with Detective Catlin Hill.”

“I see,” Adalric murmured, grinning. “Well, that is

interesting, isn’t it?”

Adalric and Darian had aided Detective Hill when his

newly discovered mate, a horse shifter named Gallo Ricci,
had been attacked by rogue vampires. They’d helped track
down the vampires, kill them, and cover up the fact that the
killers had been vampires, allowing Catlin to close the case
without revealing their existence.

I do believe it’s time to call in a favor.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Chapter Eleven

eth lounged on a recliner, sipping a beer, and watched his
lover chat with a brown haired, brown eyed guy who

stood about six foot two and had plenty of
muscles…probably from working out. He’d been introduced
to Seth as Detective Catlin Hill, a friend of Adalric’s.

He glanced at Xavier and noted the way the older

vampire absently peeled the label on his beer bottle. His
normally serene friend appeared beyond nervous. “Hey,
relax,” Seth encouraged. “He’ll show.”

Seth sure hoped he was right. It’d taken nearly two weeks

to  set  up  this  little  BBQ.  The  first  time,  the  detective  had
cancelled  because  his  son  had  needed  a  hand  moving
furniture.  Evidently,  the  man  needed  to  move  out  of  his
girlfriend’s home at a moment’s notice. Seth wondered what
had  caused  the  sudden  explosion  of  the  relationship.  Then
again,  maybe  the  split  had  been  brewing  for  a  while.
Damned if he knew.

“And if he does show, then what?” Xavier muttered. “He

didn’t seem exceptionally receptive at the house,” he
pointed out.

“He was on duty. Maybe he was worried about mixing

business with pleasure?”

“Maybe.” Xavier tone didn’t really make it sound like the

vampire believed that explanation. Before Seth could think
up another alternative, since he hadn’t really been paying

Charlie Richards

attention at the time—he’d been too wrapped up in his own
issues—Xavier hissed, “There he is.”

Seth followed his friend’s line of site and spotted the man.

He stood maybe five foot ten and wore faded blue jeans and
a blue and white checkered button-down shirt. His thick
gray hair looked damp, like maybe he’d showered recently.

“He’s a good lookin’ guy,” Seth commented.
“Yes.”
At Xavier’ one word answer, Seth focused on the

vampire. His friend’s lips were slightly parted, his breath
coming in short pants, as he eye-fucked the
detective…practically drooling.

“Whoa, Xavier,” Seth warned. “Tone it down, there. Ya

don’t want to send him running.”

Xavier seemed to visibly shudder, his Adam’s apple

bobbing as he swallowed hard. “You’re right, of course,” he
whispered. He tore his gaze from the human and looked at
Seth. Frowning, he asked, “I haven’t dated in over two
hundred years, Seth. Just what the hell do I say to the man?”

“Wow…uh, been a while, huh?” Seth teased, trying to

wrap his mind around being alone for that long. Xavier
shrugged. “Well, do you have any kids?”

“Yes, twenty-nine of them.”
Seth snorted. “Okay, admitting how many you have

might not be the best idea, but maybe you could
commiserate over the difficulties of raising a son? Surely at
least one of those children was a boy,” he teased.

Xavier laughed, his tension easing from his body. “Yeah.

Twenty-seven of them, actually.”

Chuckling, Seth quipped, “Wow, talk about carrying on

your family name.”

The older vampire grinned. “Gotta do what I can,” he

retorted.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Lifting his beer, Seth saluted the man, then took a long

swallow of the bitter brew. Seth looked up when a shadow
fell over them. He smiled upon seeing his lover.

Damn, will I ever get used to thinking of this sexy man as my

lover?

Nothing could have prepared him for his vampire’s

seemingly tireless desire for him. There were times when his
body  felt  like  he’d  been  ridden  hard  and  put  away  wet.
Then,  other  times,  Adalric  worshipped  him  with  mouth,
hands,  and  tongue,  leaving  him  a  sweaty,  twitchy  pile  of
satiated nerves. Just thinking  about their  energetic bouts of
lovemaking caused Seth’s shaft to thicken in his jeans.

Adalric chuckled. “Those are thoughts better left for later,

darling,” he crooned.

Seth smirked. Reading my mind again?

Didn’t need to. Your thoughts were written all over your face,

beloved.

Flushing, Seth silently cursed his fair skin. Adalric

winked, then nodded toward the man next to him. “You
remember Detective Hanson, don’t you, Seth?”

Rising from his chair, Seth smiled and held out his hand.

“Glad to see you under better circumstances, detective.”

“Owen, please,” the man replied, taking his hand. “And

I’m glad you seem to be doing so well.”

“Me, too.” Seth flashed a grin toward his lover and

added, “Couldn’t be happier.”

“Geez, all this sappiness is enough to make anyone sick,”

Peter piped up from where he sat on Toni’s lap. He
snickered and quipped, “Get a room.”

Seth snorted. “Like you have any room to talk,” he

retorted, waving a hand at him and the hand the enforcer
had under Peter’s shirt. “At least all our hands are visible.”

“Jealous much?” Peter replied haughtily, the perfect

queen. He looked slyly over his shoulder at Toni. “Besides,

Charlie Richards

we just have great sex together. It’s not like we’re in love or
anything.”

Opening his mouth, Seth snapped it shut just as quickly.

Am I in love with Adalric? He didn’t know. Shouldn’t it be too
soon for such an emotion? He’d only known the vampire,
what? A month or so?

“That’s enough, Peter,” Toni growled. “Stop causing

trouble.”

Peter huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Toni

shook his head, used his free hand to cup the human’s jaw,
then he captured his mouth in a carnal kiss that would
surely distract him from his irritation.

Rolling his eyes, Seth returned his focus to Owen, who

was pointedly looking away from the making-out couple.
“Hey, have you met Xavier?” he asked, indicating the silent
vampire on his other side. “He has a son, too. I bet you can
swap war stories.”

“Nice to meet you,” Owen said, offering his hand to

Xavier.

After just a second’s hesitation, Xavier reached out and

clasped the detective’s hand, obviously fighting a case of
nerves. “Likewise,” he murmured huskily.

The two men stared at each other, their hands clasped, for

far  longer  than  customary  between  two  men…well,  two
straight  men  anyway.  Even  Seth  could  feel  the  chemistry
between  these  two  and  he’d  be  the  first  to  admit  that  he
could be more than a little oblivious.

Suddenly, Owen cleared his throat and pulled his hand

away and shoved both of them into his pockets. He frowned,
then looked at Seth. “How’d you know I have a son?”

Seth shrugged. “Catlin said that’s why he postponed the

BBQ a week.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. He’s having some trouble with…” Owen

shook his head and waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter.”

A Bite of Fulfillment

Deciding his friend needed some alone time with his

beloved, Seth stepped away. “I’m gonna find the john, then
get another beer. Anyone want a refill?”

“Wait, I could—” Owen started, taking a step back.
“Nonsense,” Seth cut him off. “Have a seat and take a

load off,” he insisted, pointing at his vacated chair. “I won’t
be but a minute.”

“Uh, yeah, sure, then I’ll take a beer,” Owen said

uncertainly.

“Me, too,” Xavier said. “Thanks, Seth.”

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…
Adalric sang in Seth’s head and he just managed to force

back his snort. His vampire caught his hand before he could
take three steps and reeled him back in. Adalric captured his
lips, thrusting his tongue in deep, ravishing his mouth.
When Adalric finally broke the kiss and grinned down at
him, Seth struggled to get air back into his deprived lungs.

“Hmm, you do look good flushed, my beloved,” Adalric

crooned. “Don’t be long. I’ll miss you.”

Seth knew that wasn’t the only reason he shouldn’t be

long. His vampire was still worried about the unrest in his
coven. In the past two weeks, Edwin had disappeared along
with Chad. He knew the enforcer’s betrayal had cut Adalric
deeply. The vampire had been with Adalric for over sixty
years.

“I won’t be,” Seth assured, giving his lover’s hand a

squeeze.

Adalric growled softly, but then Darian stepped through

the back gate, looked around the back yard, and headed
toward the coven leader. Adalric pecked one more quick
kiss to Seth’s lips before letting him go and turning toward
the tracker.

“I need to talk to you,” Seth heard Darian mutter to

Adalric as he moved away.

Charlie Richards

Seth strode across the yard, waving toward Catlin where

he manned the grill. “Hey, man, where’s your john?”

“I’ll show you,” offered Gallo, Catlin’s shifter mate.
Seth had heard the slender African American turned into

an appaloosa horse. He had to admit, he’d be interested in
seeing that, but figured it’d be rude to ask.

“Thanks, man,” Seth replied.
He followed Gallo through the sliding door. Once the

sliding door was closed behind them, Gallo glanced over at
him shyly and asked, “So, what’s it like being mated to a
vampire? Does he…does he drink your blood all the time?
Does it hurt?”

Well, it seemed the shifter wasn’t quite as shy as Seth had

pegged  him.  He  chuckled  and  shook  his  head.  “Yes,  he
drinks my blood.” Seth tried not to think about what an odd
thing  that  was  to  admit.  “And,  no,  it  doesn’t  hurt.  It’s
actually  quite  pleasurable,”  he  added,  waggling  his
eyebrows at the smaller man.

Gallo laughed, his blue eyes sparkling, as he led him

through the dining room and pointed toward a hallway.
“First door on the left.”

“Thanks, man,” Seth said, patting Gallo on the shoulder

as he passed him.

He caught himself whistling happily while he took care of

business, and snickered at himself. Washing his hands at the
sink, Seth smirked at his reflection. “You really do got it bad,
Seth,” he commented.

Upon that admission, he gripped the sides of the sink and

took in his sun-bronzed skin, the light in his hazel eyes, and
the rosy glow on his cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair,
which had grown shaggier than he’d ever allowed it to get
while working as a fireman.

“Damn,” he whispered. “I really do love the vampire.” He

frowned. “Do vampires love back?”

A Bite of Fulfillment

A knock on the bathroom door jerked him from his

confusion. “Just a sec,” he called, shoving away from the
sink. He dried his hands on a towel, then unlocked the door
and pulled it open. Before he could recognize who stood on
the other side of the door, a hand came up and slammed a
foul-smelling cloth over his nose.

Seth struggled on instinct, but his limbs quickly grew

sluggish. Just before darkness clouded his mind, he heard a
cold chuckle and someone mutter, “Not so tough now, are
ya?”

Seth swallowed, trying to get moisture down his too-dry

throat. It wasn’t the first time he’d woken, but since a
blindfold covered his eyes, and whatever they’d knocked
him out with made his head muzzy, he knew he’d drifted in
and out for a while.

Muffled voices caught his attention, and he forced himself

to focus.

“Why don’t we just kill him?” whined a voice that Seth

recognized as Chad. Seth curled his lip. The vicious little
worm. “Then you can finish off Daystrum and we can rule
the coven together.”

“That’s not the way takeovers in a coven work, Chad,”

replied a deep voice Seth didn’t recognize.

Chad huffed irritably. “I don’t see why not. Loren and

Spieron would back you. You said you were gonna make
them your second and enforcer anyway. Why do we have to
wait?”

“Because ever since that asshat, Damune, went rogue in

Colorado, the Vampire Council has been keeping a sharper
eye on everything,” the other man—who must have been a
vampire—replied. “They don’t want attention drawn to us,
and your damn stunt with the cops didn’t help matters. It

Charlie Richards

just made it that much harder to get Adalric’s stupid human
alone.”

Seth bristled, wondering if that was Edwin. He sure

didn’t  consider  himself  stupid,  which  meant  he  really
needed  to  think.  He was  tied  up  somewhere.  Could  he  get
himself  loose?  As  quietly  as  possible,  Seth  tried  to  get  his
bound  hands  down  over  his  butt  so  he  could  get  them  in
front of him and remove the blindfold. Too bad he couldn’t
dislocate  his  shoulder.  When  the  pain  in  his  wrists  became
too much, Seth stopped his struggled and lay uncomfortably
on the wooden floor.

Frowning, he inhaled deeply. Turpentine, dirt, and

something else. Why did the scents seem familiar?

Seth? Damn it! Answer me now!
Seth cringed at the anger screaming from his lover’s tone.

He kicked himself for not remembering earlier that he could
speak to his lover telepathically.

Seth!
Shit! I’m here. Stop shouting. I already have a headache. I just

woke up, he snapped back.

Seth. Thank the gods. Where are you, beloved? Where has

Edwin stashed you? I’ll be there as quick as I can.

Damn it! I don’t know. I was unconscious when they brought

me here and now I’m blindfolded. Seth grimaced. He hated
admitting his ignorance.

“Here they come,” Chad said.
Seth wondered who he was talking about.

Is there anything you can tell me?
Just a sec. They’re talking again, Seth told Adalric, trying to

concentrate on the people talking outside his little prison.

“Good,” Edwin grunted. “About fucking time. Adalric

will be frantic by now. It’s time to give the fucker his
ultimatum,” he sneered.

A Bite of Fulfillment

Shit! Spieron and some guy named Loren are in on it, too.

They’re about to give you an ultimatum, Seth admitted.

Ultimatum? What ultimatum?

Step down or die?
Damn them. If they harm one hair on your head I will make

them pay!

I love you, too, Seth quipped.
For several seconds, he didn’t get a response, and it hit

him what he’d said. You love me? Adalric finally asked.

Wasn’t exactly how I planned to share that, Seth grumbled

mentally.

He heard the pleasure loud and clear in Adalric’s next

comment. Too bad. You can’t take it back. After another
heartbeat, he added, And I love you, too.

Seth couldn’t stop his grin, even considering the situation.

Good. Now save me and we’ll profess our undying love properly.

Count on it. Just stick tight and—
Hold on! Someone’s coming in. Seth really didn’t like the

fear that bled through their connection, but he couldn’t seem
to control himself. He’d seen what a rogue vampire could do
and if these guys were going against Adalric, surely they
could be none too sane!

Try to get them to remove the blindfold so you can see where

you are, Adalric urged.

Okay.
Seth nearly squealed when a hand grabbed his shoulder

before the blindfold was ripped unceremoniously from his
eyes. “We don’t have much time,” a voice Seth vaguely
recognized said.

The hand was gone, and Seth blinked several times,

desperately trying to get his eyes to clear. Finally, he turned
his head and discovered Spieron at his back. He just stopped
from lunging away from the vampire when he felt his bonds
fall away from his hands.

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100

“Spieron? What are you doing?”
“There isn’t time,” the man hissed. “Can you walk? They

won’t be gone long.”

Seth wasn’t certain, but he rolled to his knees, nodding

anyway. He took a chance and glanced around. I’m in one of

the gardening sheds. Tell Xavier it’s the one with the extra
fertilizer. He’ll know the one.

That’s good, darling. How’d you find out?
Spieron is helping me, Seth said as the vampire tugged him

to his feet. Even as he said the words, Seth wondered if that
was a good idea. Was Spieron really on the up and up? He
tried to pull away, asking, “Why are you helping me? I
thought you were in on it…”

“I am,” Spieron hissed. “I would have just gone to Adalric

when my buddy Loren told me about his and Edwin’s plans,
but who do you think Adalric would believe? A vampire
who’s been in trouble before and has been here barely a
decade? Or his friend of nearly a century?” He wrapped his
arm around Seth’s waist and tugged him to the door before
opening it and peeking out.

Seth had to admit, the guy had a point. He wouldn’t have

believed him if he were in Adalric’s place. “Okay, where are
we going?”

“If we can get to…shit!”
“Wha—” Seth cut his word off when he heard Chad’s

whining voice in the distance.

“I didn’t mean to forget it. Besides, it’s not like we were

that far away,” he grumbled.

“Let’s go.” Spieron yanked him out the door and hustled

him deeper into the gardens.

A shout behind him followed by Edwin bellowing for

Loren told Seth his kidnappers weren’t far behind, and
although he could take on Chad when he was healthy, right

A Bite of Fulfillment

101

now, he wasn’t. Not to mention, there were two vampires
out there. How could Spieron take them on his own?

Adalric, you’d better hurry the fuck up. We’re being chased

through the gardens!

Charlie Richards

102

Chapter Twelve

dalric roared in frustration. “Drive faster,” he ordered
angrily.

He knew he should have returned to his home.

Unfortunately,  he  hadn’t  listened  to  his  gut.  Instead,  he’d
listened to Toni. The enforcer had been worried if they were
that far out of town, they’d have trouble getting to Seth once
they  figured  out  where  Edwin  had  taken  him.  Now,  he
wanted  to  throttle  the  vampire,  even  though  he  knew  it
wasn’t really the other man’s fault.

Why the hell would they have him there? The answer hit him

just as quickly. It was a power play. By forcing him out
while having his beloved right under his nose, Edwin would
be proving without a doubt that he was the stronger, more
cunning vampire.

No way in hell will I give my coven up to Edwin!
Finally, they pulled up in front of his mansion and

Adalric burst from the limo. His claws out and his eyes
hazed as he streaked around the building, his steps silent on
the grass. Rounding the corner, he swept his gaze over the
lawn. He saw nothing, but his sense of smell picked up his
beloved’s scent.

What part of the garden are you in?

Near the spitting mermaid.
Spitting mermaid? What? Where is that? He paused at the

entrance and listened. He could hear the occasional scuff of

A Bite of Fulfillment

103

shoe on paving stone or crunch on woodchips, but due to
the many twists and turns of the garden path, he couldn’t
accurately ascertain direction.

Shit! You don’t know your own fucking garden?
A fact I’ll be sure to remedy, Adalric snapped mentally. Just

give me a damn clue.

The thud of bodies and a cry of pain reached Adalric.

Figuring he had a better shot at finding them in there by
scent, Adalric sprinted down the path.

He could mentally hear Seth’s exasperation when he

answered. It’s near where we had lunch yesterday! Hurry! I don’t

think Spieron can fight these two alone much longer!

That made Adalric’s steps falter before he charged down

a  path  on  the  left.  He  was  pretty  certain  that  was  the  way
toward  the  noise.  Wait,  Spieron  is  fighting  two  vampires,  one
being my second enforcer? Damn! He felt a bit guilty, knowing
how badly he’d misjudged the guy. He could even imagine
why the vampire hadn’t come to him with his suspicions. He
probably would have either dismissed them out of hand, or
questioned  Edwin,  which  would  have  put  Spieron  in  even
more danger.

When he burst into the area where the hedges were

carved  out  into  three  discreet  domes  with  lovers  benches
tucked  in  each  one,  Adalric  could  hear  the  thud  of  fists  on
flesh  and  the  snarling  sound  only  an  angry  vampire  could
make.  No  one  was  in  the  clearing,  and  the  sounds  were
coming from his right…which appeared to be a solid hedge.

Taking in the height, Adalric crouched low, then leaped

over the nine-foot bush. He landed in a crouch, and looked
around quickly. A shiver worked down his spine as he took
in the scene.

Chad lay crumpled near a tree, not far from a watchful

Seth. Spieron fought Edwin and Loren valiantly, doing his
best to keep between the pair and Seth. He kept his left arm

Charlie Richards

104

tucked to his side, indicating either a cracked or broken rib.
The vampire’s swift movements and ability to counter most
of the attacking pair’s strikes made Adalric think of a martial
artist.

But it was the blood dripping from his beloved’s lip that

incensed Adalric.

Roaring, he launched at Loren. The vampire spun in

shock, but didn’t react to his presence fast enough. Adalric
landed on his chest, taking him to the ground. Without
remorse, he wrapped his hands around the man’s throat and
twisted. The sickening crack told him he’d snapped his neck
and he released the vampire, who lay still beneath him.

Adalric knew the difficulties of actually killing a vampire,

so he didn’t stop there. He sank his claws into Loren’s chest
and tore out his heart. Tossing the still beating, bloody organ
away, he watched the red bleed out of the other guy’s eyes,
showing shocked blue which quickly drained of life.

Hearing Spieron’s cry of pain, Adalric’s head snap up just

in time to see the vampire thud to the ground after hitting a
tree…hard, since the guy wasn’t rising. Seeing the way his
right arm bent awkwardly at the elbow—making him fight
back a cringe—Adalric knew it was broken.

“You’re in so much trouble, Edwin,” he snarled.
Edwin spun to face him, his lip curling to reveal his fangs.

“You’ve outlived your usefulness, old man. You should
have moved on decades ago.”

“Tsk, tsk, that’s no way to speak to your coven leader.”

He put just enough dryness in his tone to piss his ex-buddy
off. Knowing a vampire for that many years, Adalric had
learned how to push his buttons.

“You don’t deserve that title,” Edwin snapped. “And

soon, everyone will know it!”

Ignoring the comment, Adalric glanced toward his lover,

taking in the man’s red-hazed form it was tough to see

A Bite of Fulfillment

105

injuries. “You all right, Seth?” he asked, somehow keeping
the growl out of his tone, well…mostly anyway.

“Yeah, I’m fine. ’Bout time you got here.”
Adalric grinned. His beloved’s snarky attitude told him

his lover was just fine, or would be as soon as he got rid of
this asshole threatening him. Just then, Toni, Darian, Gerald,
and even Daystrum—although a bit more slowly—came
streaking around the corner.

He pointed at Spieron. “Check him,” he ordered, “and

back off. Edwin is mine.”

Edwin curled his lip and sneered, “Oh, this is even better.

I will beat you in front of your inner circle and your coven
will be mine!”

“Come and try it.”
Adalric had seen his enforcer fight a few times over the

years,  but  he  couldn’t  remember  if  Edwin  had  seen  him
fight. Of course, he hadn’t actually had to indulge in a brawl
with  another  vampire  in  some  time—not  counting  the
incident  where  he’d  tracked  down  the  rogue  that  had
attacked Gallo. That had been kids play.

He grinned and flexed his hands, readying the three inch,

slender claws extending from his fingertips. Watching the
other man circle, Adalric stood at the ready, easily keeping
himself between Edwin and Seth.

Smirking, Adalric asked, “Are you going to take all night?

I  have  things  to  attend  to.”  From  the  corner  of  his  eye,  he
saw Darian help Daystrum back out of the clearing. Just the
fact that his second had attempted to come to his beloved’s
aid  warmed  his  heart.  Gerard  dropped  to  his  knees  beside
Spieron  and  started  checking  for  injuries.  Toni  stood  over
both of them, but eyed Adalric and Edwin.

When Edwin roared and leaped forward, swinging a

clawed hand at his chest, Adalric stepped neatly to the left

Charlie Richards

106

and shoved the other vampire, using the male’s momentum
to send him stumbling into a tree. Edwin recovered quickly.

The vampire enforcer spun around and spread his arms,

his claws gleaming in the moonlight. Adalric adopted a cat-
stance, his hands lifted in a defensive posture while keeping
his weight on his back leg. Keeping just a bit of weight on
the toes of his front leg, he watched carefully for tells to
Edwin’s next move.

He didn’t have long to wait.
Adalric saw Edwin’s weight shift as his body tilted

slightly forward right before the traitor snapped his leg up
in a round house kick that, if landed, would probably have
cracked a rib or two.

Stepping forward, Adalric captured Edwin’s leg against

his  side  and  pulled.  The  other  vampire  stumbled  forward,
trying  to  wrench  his  leg  free  while  still  remaining  upright.
Not  giving  him  a  chance  to  catch  his  balance,  Adalric
slammed an elbow into Edwin’s now exposed side.

The vampire cried out in pain and shock and started to

crumple. On his way down, Edwin sank his claws into
Adalric’s thigh. Snarling as agony shot through the
punctured muscle, he jerked away, out of Edwin’s grasp.

Adalric didn’t stay back. He pushed the pain to the back

of his mind and as soon as Edwin’s claws were visible, blood
dripping from the one, Adalric leaped beside his opponent,
grabbed the vampire’s clean arm, and used the hold to roll
Edwin to his stomach. With the guy’s arm locked behind his
back and Adalric’s knee on the small of his back, he subdued
Edwin.

He wrapped his other hand around Edwin’s throat, his

claws pressing into the tender flesh. He warred with his
desire for vengeance, to tear out Edwin’s heart, as he’d done
to Loren. Adalric wanted to give no mercy to the vampires
who’d caused harm to his beloved. A low growl rolled up

A Bite of Fulfillment

107

his throat at that thought. He’d be well within his right to
end the vampire’s life.

“Adalric.”
Seth spoke his name, sounding uncertain. He jerked his

head up and spotted his human now standing with Gerard
and a groggy looking Spieron. Toni stood a few feet away
beside a kneeling, trussed up Chad.

How long have I been struggling with this decision? He knew

before he’d bonded, he would never have even hesitated.
Did that make him weak?

Compassion is never a weakness, Adalric.
He stared at Seth. Through his hazed vision, he saw the

lines of blood flowing through his lover’s veins and a new
kind of lust flooded him. His dick swelled in his jeans and he
hissed softly at the sudden pressure.

“Mine,” he snarled.
“Yours,” Seth affirmed, keeping his gaze focused on

Adalric. The human licked his lips, obviously sensing the
sudden shift.

To Adalric’s relief, Seth didn’t appear concerned upon

seeing his eyes. His lover had come a long way in the past
two weeks. He smiled grimly. “Toni, lock Edwin and Chad
in the cellar,” he ordered, though his gaze remained fixed on
the man he planned to ravish, and soon. “Then contact the
council and report these events.”

“Yes, sir,” Toni responded. The vampire quickly took

Adalric’s place and used his hold on Edwin’s arm to haul
him to his feet.

“Spieron,” Adalric said, finally dragging his gaze away

from Seth. He looked at the injured vampire, who—even
groggy—managed to look concerned, even fearful, probably
for his life. “Thank you, for keeping my beloved safe. I could
use a loyal enforcer.” He refused to cast an accusing look at

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108

the vampire he’d thought of as his friend. “Especially one
with your talents.”

“Thank you, sir,” Spieron whispered, his surprise evident

in his tone. “I’d be honored.”

“I’ll initiate you later,” he promised, then returned his

focus to Seth. Slowly, he stalked toward his lover. “I have
something more important to do at the moment.”

Seth took a step back, the movement triggering Adalric’s

desire to capture his beloved and fuck him, show him his
place. He crouched, ready to leap upon the man, to hell with
whoever watched, when Seth said, “Your leg. Are you
okay?”

With the adrenaline thrumming through his body,

Adalric didn’t even feel the wound. All he felt was the throb
of his dick pulsing in his jeans, the need to bury his shaft in
Seth’s body, to sink his fangs in Seth’s neck, and once again
claim him as his own.

“I’m fine,” he assured, right before he leaped. He

swooped his beloved into his arms, tossing him over his
shoulder, and leaped over the nearest hedge, praying there’d
be something somewhat secluded on the other side.

“Hey,” Seth called. “I can walk!” He punctuated his

words with a slap on Adalric’s ass.

Freezing, Adalric slowly allowed Seth to slide down the

front of his body. He growled softly upon feeling his
beloved’s hard dick behind his fly. “Naughty, beloved,” he
rumbled gruffly. “Very naughty.”

“So is carting me around like a sack of potatoes,” Seth

shot back, smirking. Before Adalric’s sluggish brain could
come up with a response, his human continued, “Thank you
for coming for me.”

Adalric cupped his beloved’s jaw and pressed his

forehead against Seth’s. “I will always come for you,” he

A Bite of Fulfillment

109

replied, then frowned. “But I’d really prefer you don’t get
kidnapped again.”

“Me, too,” Seth replied.
That settled, Adalric returned to his original intention, to

reclaim  his  beloved.  He  slanted  his  mouth  over  Seth’s  and
thrust  his  tongue  inside.  Dominating  Seth’s  mouth,  he
tangled  their  tongues,  drawing  Seth’s  appendage  into  his
mouth, and sucking on it strongly. His beloved moaned and
melted against him, and Adalric swallowed the noises even
as they set his blood on fire.

He tugged at jeans and shirt, using his claws to strip the

offending fabric from his human’s body. Releasing his
lover’s lips, he spotted the cement bench. He grinned upon
hearing the whine of frustration as he gripped Seth’s hips
and spun him.

Whipping his shirt over his head, Adalric laid it on the

bench, then pushed Seth over it. He yanked open his fly,
easing the pressure on his aching shaft.

“Wait! Wait, wait,” Seth chanted.
“That’s not going to happen,” Adalric countered gruffly,

although he knew he needed to slow down, prep his
beloved. Never did he want to hurt his human.

“Lube.” Seth swung his arm and pointed at the remains of

his jeans. “In my hip pocket.”

Adalric snagged the ruined cloth and searched the

pockets, finding a single-use packet. Pulling it out, he
growled. “And what were you doing with this?”

“Always carry some now. Always want to be prepared,”

Seth  admitted.  The  way  he  panted,  giving  away  his  need,
not to mention the arousal scenting the air around him like
the  finest  aphrodisiac.  Looking  over  his  shoulder  at  him,
Seth  snickered  and  added,  “You’re  a  horny  bastard,
Adalric.”

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110

Chuckling, Adalric tore open the packet and poured most

of the slick onto his fingers. “Only for you, beloved.”

“Better be,” Seth replied, his words ending on a grunt as

Adalric slipped first one, then two fingers into his ass.

Adalric draped his body over Seth’s as he worked him,

running his free hand over the smooth skin of Seth’s back,
touching, feeling, reaffirming that his beloved was there
with him, alive and healthy. “My beloved,” he crooned. “My
love.”

“So,” Seth panted, “what you said earlier was true? You

love me?”

“Oh, yes,” Adalric assured. “Very much.” Pulling the

three fingers he now had in Seth’s ass free of his lover’s
body, Adalric turned the man to face him. “You are my
heart, Seth. Without you, I am nothing.”

Seth traced his fingers down Adalric’s jaw, then up over

his brow. “Never thought I’d find a love like this,” Seth
whispered. “And I do love you.”

Adalric’s heart sang at Seth’s admission. He wrapped his

arms  around  Seth,  holding  him  tight,  and  captured  his
lover’s  lips.  Lifting  the  man  as  he  enjoyed  his  beloved’s
masculine flavor, Adalric turned and sat on the shirt on the
bench.  He  settled  Seth  on  his  lap  and,  using  one  hand,
aligned  his  erection  with  Seth’s  stretched  hole  and  guided
him down.

His beloved’s head lolled on his neck, breaking the kiss,

and let out a long, low moan. “Fuck, never thought I’d enjoy
this so much.”

Hissing his own pleasure, Adalric struggled to form

words as exquisite pressure swallowed his cock. “S-sex?” he
asked.

Seth’s chest heaved and he gripped Adalric’s shoulders as

he fully seated himself on his prick. Adalric gripped Seth’s

A Bite of Fulfillment

111

hips, holding him tight. His cock twitched and jerked inside
the hot depths of his human.

Grinning, Seth shook his head. “Bottoming,” he admitted.

“I can’t get enough of your dick in my ass.”

“Good,” Adalric replied. “Because I plan to keep it in you

as often as possible.”

“That’s great,” Seth snapped. “Now loosen your grip so I

can move.”

“So pushy,” Adalric crooned, struggling to maintain

control.

“Yep. Know what I want.”
Then, Seth squeezed his ass muscles rhythmically,

milking Adalric’s dick.

Adalric roared. He lifted his lover a couple inches and

began reaming his ass. Seth moaned and shuddered in his
arms as Adalric nailed his human’s prostate on every thrust.
Seconds later, Seth tilted his head, baring his neck.

“Please,” he moaned.
“With pleasure,” Adalric replied huskily. He gave Seth

exactly what he wanted and sank his fangs into his beloved’s
neck.

Seth stiffened in his arms, then groaned, his cock

unloading,  slicking  their  torsos  with  his  seed.  Between  the
clamp of Seth’s ass on his swollen erection and the exquisite
taste  of  his  beloved’s life-blood,  Adalric  lost  it.  His  orgasm
crashed  over  him,  a  wave  of  bliss  as  he  flooded  Seth  with
cum.

After several minutes, Adalric withdrew his fangs and

licked the mark clean, sealing it. Holding his lover to his
chest, his softening shaft still buried in Seth’s body, Adalric
knew he’d do anything and everything for this human. He
smiled, remembering his friend’s words from weeks before.

Just as it should be.

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112

Frowning, the sound of water running caught his

attention. He looked left and spotted a fountain, the
centerpiece a bare-breasted mermaid rising from the water,
her bust thrust forward and head flung back. From her
mouth arced a stream of water which spilled into the pool of
the fountain around her.

Chuckling, Adalric murmured, “Huh. The spitting

mermaid.”

Seth lifted his head from where he rested it on Adalric’s

shoulder and followed his gaze. “Yep, the entryway to this
area is right there,” he said, pointing at an opening not too
far away. “Told you I could have walked.”

Adalric stared at his lover fondly. “I knew you’d keep me

on my toes.”

Seth petted Adalric’s neck softly and smiled smugly.

“When you’re right you’re right.” He pecked his lips. “You
wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Grinning, Adalric nodded. “Hell, yeah.”

About the Author

Charlie lives on a mini ranchette in Utah with her husband
and furry, four-legged children. She started writing fantasy
when she was eight, and after stumbling onto her first erotic
romance  at  age  nineteen,  she  realized  her  true  calling.  She
now  focuses  on  writing  erotic  romance,  normally  of  the
paranormal  variety,  with  heroes  and  heroines  of  all  kinds.
You can often find her curled up with her laptop and a cup
of tea or glass of wine, creating her next adventure. Charlie
enjoys exploring the mountains on horseback, 4-wheeler, or
motorcycle. Her favorite exercise is jumping lessons with her
Arabian  gelding  Apache  or  her  Thoroughbred  mare  Repo.
And she can’t get enough of sexy highlanders with their kilts
and swords. Right now, she and her muse are working with
dedication on her Wolves of Stone Ridge series and Kontra’s
Menagerie series.

She can be reached at ch.richards2010@yahoo.com
Or visit her at www.charlie-richards.com

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