Blood of the City Read online

  Jason shielded his face from the heat as Greg burned with more intensity. The skin and muscles decayed and vanished, and his bones buzzed with mercurial brilliance before turning to ash and drifting around and up into the air.

  Jason wiped his sore eyes and examined his hand. Even protected from the sunlight, he was starting to heat up. He put a hand out to touch the sunlight and his finger burned, almost igniting. The pain melted into his bones and stabbed at his heart enough to stop him throwing himself into the sun to die alongside the body of his friend and former lover, the man who had saved his worthless life more times than he could count when he had been trapped, alone with Zoran, and Mack was nowhere to be found. He gritted his teeth and snarled, drool falling from his lips. Every muscle in his body tensed with pent-up rage and he screamed. He spun and went for the elevator. He took it to level seventeen then ran down the hall to let himself into his suite.

  Inside, heart still beating, breath heavy and ragged, sweat pouring from his skin, he searched for something to wear.

  He pulled on a long, brown coat over jeans and shirt, black leather gloves and wrapped a red scarf made of linen around his neck. He grabbed a wide-brimmed cowboy hat made of brown leather and a large, black umbrella with a wooden hook. He slipped on a pair of reflective aviators then stopped to stare at the wall. He waited, controlling his breathing with great concentration, slowing his heart so that in time, he was no longer breathing and no longer had a heart pumping blood through his body. His skin cooled and dried and his tears along with it. Satisfied he was calm and in control, he clenched his umbrella handle and exited the room.

  Jason strode through the hall, down into the general casino area, past drunkards, poker machines and more lights than he could ever have imagined. The sounds of money, chatter and occasional raucous laughter were his soundtrack as he approached the large sliding doors of the exit. He readied his umbrella, glanced at the bright, painful sky and stepped out into the world.

  The street outside was always alive. Neon, alcohol and sex flowed up and down before Jason’s gaze. The relative dim of dawn melded with the gaudy street lighting, giving the whole area a displaced sense of time. Jason put his head down and strode through the sparse, swaying crowd of stayers. He passed bustling, rancid fast food restaurants and their gutter-dwelling clientele, public courtyards with enclaves of homeless folk, endless explosions of broken glass, cloying, drying alcohol and the odd splattering of vomit, like repulsive paintings of exotic flowers. None of it stayed in Jason’s mind, however, as he replayed the events of the evening past. He wondered, for a moment, where Mack had gone, and the thought brought him to an abrupt halt. The person behind him bumped right into him, swearing before striding on his way.

  Jason looked up at the leafy tree blocking the sunlight from hitting him. “What if he’s there?” he asked no one. His slack face tightened and set in decision. He surveyed the empty suburban street he had wandered upon. “I hope he’s there. I hope you’re there, Mack. I’m sick of all your shit, and the way you treat me. I’m tired of being the idiot in this relationship. I want”—he faltered—”I want…” Jason flashed memories of their time together as human and vampire, as young creatures unknowing of the tragedies that would befall them. He sniffed. “I want everything to go back to how it was,” he whispered. “Can’t it all go back?”

  “Hey, man, you looking for a good time?” someone said to Jason.

  Jason jumped and snarled at the unseen person, scaring them away.

  “Jeez, don’t have to be a freak about it,” the stranger barked over his shoulder as he moved quickly on.

  Jason shook his head and cleared his mind before continuing his journey down the covered streets, skipping from shadow to shadow. The sun was starting to glow white in the sky and residents were flowing from their homes in flurries of stress and black businesswear. Jason reached a street lined with enormous terraced houses. Each one was three or four stories high and while some had impeccable lawns and landscaping in their small courtyards, most were just dumping grounds for wheelie bins. Every second house had a ‘Vacant’ sign out the front and ‘Backpackers’ displayed somewhere in the vicinity. Jason identified a large, well-lit terrace down the road. The hand-painted sign out front displayed Mangrove Backpacker’s, but Jason knew who also lived there. He pulled open the gate then strode inside.

  He walked up creaking stairs, stopped and waited outside the door labeled ‘Twenty-Four’. Clenching his fists, face twitching, he didn’t move, standing and waiting to decide what he wanted to do.

  ****

  Surrounded by discarded clothing and reeking of cigarettes and alcohol, Sparky peeled his tight, leather shorts off and pumped his solid cock. A smear of pre-cum glistened on the tip. He was pleased to see his company’s attention snared by his dripping temptation. The man he’d brought home was huge—tall and with a firm, round belly, hairy arms and chin and a white-toothed grin. He was a bit older than Sparky usually went for but when they had made out on the dance floor, Sparky had been overwhelmed with lust and all but dragged the guy back to his room.

  “Come on, Antonio. Let’s play,” he said, jerking his cock to fuller mast. He moaned and opened his legs, moving back on the bed so he could display his hole for Antonio.

  Antonio’s black trousers betrayed a growing reaction in his underpants. He pushed a big palm over his belly and down to adjust his cock. He didn’t break eye contact with Sparky as he unbuttoned his white dress shirt. The vast expanse of his hairy stomach, constrained in a white singlet and the dark hints of nipples and hair beneath, were making Sparky’s cock throb.

  Sparky wanted to suck the huge, thick, growing beast he could see outlined in Antonio’s fist. He bucked his hips and stroked his cock faster and faster. His balls bounced between his legs and he found himself close to orgasm, so he stopped and reached over to the nightstand. He grabbed a jar of lube and a long, blue dildo. Grinning at Antonio, he wiped lube over it with one hand then swiped it over his hole. He nuzzled the cool head of the dildo down his cock, over his balls and to his anus. He pushed it in and out, making a show of it not fitting into his tight, hopefully-appealing hole. He pushed it in with a pop and moaned with pleasure.

  Antonio pulled off his singlet. His chest was magnificent, covered in black hair. His nipples were large and engorged, like his cock. He unzipped his trousers and they dropped to the floor so he was standing, clad only in white Y-fronts. His massaged his cock with his fist while the other hand tweaked his own nipples, but he didn’t come forward, preferring, for the moment, to watch.

  Sparky moaned, half in pleasure at the dildo he was shoving inside himself, but more at the sight of the imposing man he’d brought home with him. He pulled the device out in a sudden movement and his hole gaped, open a moment for Antonio to take in. Sparky discarded the dildo and beckoned to Antonio.

  “You ready for me?” asked Antonio.

  Sparky nodded. “I want you to fuck me,” he said, “so badly.”

  Antonio grinned and pushed down his underwear. His cock was thick. He spat on his hand and slickened it up then knelt on the bed and crawled for Sparky. His weight almost buckled the bed, making Sparky even more aroused.

  Sparky ran his fingers through the hair on Antonio’s chest, slipping below the curve of his belly to pull at the monster beneath. He ran his hands over Antonio’s dark, hairy buttocks but concentrated on the cock and balls that rivaled any and all he’d seen before. Sparky guided Antonio’s cock to his mouth, licked at the dripping head and ran his tongue down the pulsing shaft. He lost himself for a moment in the thicket of hair over Antonio’s balls then slipped underneath to give a gentle bite to the mound of sensitive skin between his balls and hole. Sparky pulled himself between Antonio’s legs and ran his tongue up the buttocks and over the tight hole. He massaged it with his mouth, pushing his tongue against the resistance until he could slip it and out with ease. Antonio groaned and p
ushed back against Sparky’s hunger, his cock streaming with pleasure.

  But before he could get any further, Antonio grabbed Sparky and flipped him around so his ass was high in the air. He grabbed Sparky’s cock and pulled it behind him, so it strained against the bed. Sparky pushed his hole up, desperate for it to be filled, and Antonio wiped his sticky fingers over it.

  “You like that?” Antonio asked.

  Sparky moaned in pleasure.

  “You want my big dick inside you?” Antonio started slapping his cock on Sparky’s ass. With every wet splat, Sparky moaned anew and his cock wept pre-cum. Sparky drooled onto his pillow, his head rushing with lust and his body crying out to be filled. He pulled himself up, twisted his torso around and grabbed Antonio around the back of his neck. They kissed, tongues invading each other’s mouth and cocks bouncing with each new movement. Sparky pushed back over Antonio’s belly and slid toward Antonio’s cock, but Antonio pushed him down, bent over and planted his mouth over it instead. Antonio licked at it, while Sparky ground his hole against Antonio’s hungry mouth. The sensation of Antonio’s long tongue digging into him was almost too much to take, and he dribbled even more copious amounts of pre-cum. Heat rising through his body, he pulled back and scrambled down, renewed in his desire to plunge Antonio’s cock deep within him. He fumbled with the cock, but Antonio pushed him down again, held his shoulders and drove his cock deep into Sparky.

  Sparky’s cries were muffled by the pillows, and his mind spun with pleasure. He rode Antonio’s slickened shaft until it started to throb and threaten release within. He tried to stop, to turn around and make it last longer, but Antonio’s grip and weight were too much for him. Pinned beneath the huge man, Sparky felt his cock harden with release. Antonio’s was fiery inside him and felt like it might set him alight. Antonio pulled back in one swift motion, gave a mammoth thrust that moved his entire body then burst inside Sparky. Sparky exploded beneath him, spraying out around his cock and hitting the bed. His cock unloaded more semen than he had known possible while Antonio gave a few more final thrusts of his dick before pulling out entirely with a wet slap.

  Sparky shuddered in the aftermath. He kissed Antonio once more and lay on the bed beside him, panting and exhausted.

  “That was incredible,” Sparky said and shook his head in disbelief. He wiped his hands on his naked thighs and laughed. “You are a fucking incredible lay.”

  Antonio grinned and hugged Sparky. “You’re not so bad, yourself. Gimme ten minutes and we can go again.”

  Sparky smiled and exhaled with desire. “Oh God, yes. I’m only just getting started. I want you to wear me out.”

  “Trust me. By the time we’re finished, you won’t be able to walk.”

  Sparky laughed again. “I don’t think I can walk now,” he said.

  Antonio rubbed his furry body in clear relaxation. He slapped Sparky’s thigh and stroked his wet, sticky cock. “I love the smell of cum. Let me lick you clean,” he said.

  Antonio slid his tongue over Sparky’s chest and cock. He nuzzled his hole and licked up every drop of semen, sweat and lube off Sparky’s skin. The sensation of his stubble over Sparky’s skin was rough and unrelenting, and Sparky’s cock responded in turn. Sweat covered his body and dripped over his thighs, down between his legs and onto the sheets below.

  The window shades were drawn but sunlight filtered around the cracks, sending lines of yellow over the floor, bed and bodies writhing on top. Antonio’s rough face and thick fingers massaged Sparky’s body, and he writhed in pleasure. He felt his hole relax in anticipation, bit his lower lip and wriggled around so Antonio could position his cock at the entrance. As the tip of Antonio’s cock entered Sparky and his balls slapped against his skin, Sparky felt his own balls tighten and unload onto the bed in uncontrollable bursts. Embarrassed, but relaxed, he turned to kiss Antonio. “You made me come again.”

  “I’m not gonna stop ‘cause of that,” said Antonio.

  “Fuck, no. Pound me hard,” said Sparky.

  At the same time, there was a crack as the lock on the door was broken, and it swung open to reveal Jason in silhouette. He looked them up and down, taking in the spills of cum and their panting, sweaty forms. He took off his cowboy hat then glared at them.

  “Can I come in?” he asked.

  Antonio grinned. “The more the merrier, right?” He slapped Sparky’s ass and pulled out. Sparky gasped and curled up, grabbing for a sheet. He was not as certain as Antonio that more would be better.

  Jason strode inside and closed the broken door behind him. He looked at them both with disgust and started taking off his coat. “Smells disgusting in here. Like a couple of animals have been fucking.”

  “Oh, yeah, nice,” Antonio said. “This is hot.” He started slowly, pumping his cock. “You wanna piece of this filthy animal?”

  Jason stared at Sparky but didn’t remove his clothing.

  “Hey, Jason. I’m, um”—Sparky swallowed—”what’re you doing here?”

  “Huh?” Antonio said. “You didn’t organize this?”

  Sparky shook his head.

  “You know why I’m here,” said Jason. “I wanna know what’s so special about you. I wanna know why you’re so good to fuck and I’m not.”

  Antonio stopped stroking and looked between them. “What the fuck is this? He your boyfriend or something?”

  “No, I— Maybe you should go, Antonio,” said Sparky.

  “No. I want him to stay,” said Jason. “I want everyone to stay right where they are.”

  “Yeah, look. You’re fucking fantastic, Sparky, and we need to do this again, but maybe my place next time.” Antonio got up to retrieve his underpants. “And whoever you are—”

  “Jason.”

  “Jason, whatever. You’re welcome to try to stop me.”

  Jason stood, static for a moment before he launched at Antonio, hands extended into claws, teeth bared and eyes covered in a fugue of bloodlust. Antonio didn’t have time to be scared, the unexpected attack was so sudden. Even if he had, it would have made no difference as Jason bit into his throat and ripped it out. Blood splattered the wall and bedside lamp, sending dark shadows across the room. He dug his sharpened fingers into Antonio’s ample chest and tore through skin, muscle and down to bone to a crescendo of Sparky’s watching screams. Jason sucked at the many wounds, draining Antonio of his blood and life in seconds. The screaming and thrashing of his prey ended, and he was left to drink from nothing but a limp corpse. He discarded the scraps, wiped his mouth and leaned against the wall. He looked at his captive audience in expectation, but he didn’t move.

  Sparky turned and clapped his hands to his mouth. He found the corner of the room and vomited into it, his whole body heaving with disgust. He shuddered from the effort and tried to stand, shaking the splatters from his bare feet. He ran for the door, but Jason was on him before he could make it to freedom. Jason fixed his strong hands on each of Sparky’s broad, slick shoulders and pulled him back against the bed. Jason approached and straddled his prey, arms on either side of Sparky’s face. Jason’s cock strained against his jeans and Sparky writhed in terror under his gaze.

  “Don’t run,” said Jason, as he stood and wiped the blood from his mouth. The room was warm and stank of Antonio’s blood. The sunlight remained dim and the only sounds were Sparky’s whimpering cries. “We need to talk,” Jason said.

  “What are you?” Sparky stared at the body and heaved in revulsion again.

  “You slept with Mack,” said Jason. “I want to know why.”

  Sparky’s breathing quickened and he glanced at the window.

  “I’ll kill you before you get there,” said Jason. “Answer my questions, and I’ll let you live.”

  After a moment, Sparky nodded. “Okay,” he said.

  “How many times?”

  Sparky blushed. “Only once. I mean…
yeah, only once.”

  “Don’t lie to me,” said Jason.

  “I’m not. I swear. I mean, he always comes around and we talk and that, but he’s never— I mean, I wanted to but, not till the other day—”

  Jason narrowed his eyes. “Talk about what?”

  “Oh, um, life, I guess. Lots of stuff.”

  Jason roared and blood splattered over him. “Be specific. Does he talk about me?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “And?”

  Sparky sighed. “Look, I don’t wanna die. I dunno what you are or how you did that”—he gestured at Antonio—”but I don’t wanna die.” He gulped. “Okay?”

  Jason shrugged. “It really depends on how you answer, doesn’t it?”

  “Okay, okay. So, he’s from the country. He doesn’t think he fits in and you make fun of him sometimes, so it makes him upset.”

  Jason laughed. “I make fun of him sometimes? So he goes and sleeps with someone else?”

  “He’s pretty innocent.”

  “Ha,” Jason said. “He’s innocent, is he?” Jason pointed a dripping red finger at his chest. “He’s the same as me, you know. He’s killed lots of people. You may think he’s innocent and sweet and from the country, but he’s not. He’s been hunting humans since before your grandparents were born, and you’re just the next item on his list.” Jason spat. “You’re nothing to him, just a meal.”

  Sparky’s eyes fell. “I didn’t think I meant anything to him. I know he loves you. I just—I wanted to make him feel better.”

  “He bite you?” Jason asked.

  “What?”

  “He bit you, didn’t he? You still have the marks on your neck.”

  Sparky put his hand to the wound and opened his mouth in shock. “He…he wanted to eat me?”

  “Afraid so.”

  Sparky glanced at the window again and swallowed. “I won’t tell anyone,” he said, shaking his head. “I promise. I swear to God almighty. I’ll take this secret to my grave. You don’t have to worry.”