Chapter 10

"How old are you?" Michael asked curiously, two days later. He'd been with Shane all this time and he hadn't found anything out about him. All he knew was that he was a Lykae (obviously), and that he used to rule a clan until he got tortured by vampires. That wasn't much.

"Why?" Shane said, his voice guarded. Would it be a problem? He knew Michael was nineteen and had only been a vampire a few months, but Shane was older. A lot older. Would that freak him out?

"I'm just wondering, that's all," Michael mumbled quietly, ducking his head slightly. As much as he could in their position. They were laid out on Michael's bed, his back against Shane's chest with their legs interlocked. Shane's arms were wrapped around Michael's torso tightly, and his hands rested possessively on the vampire's hips. "I mean, I don't know much about you…"

Shane sighed and rested his head against the headboard. "I was born in 1403, to the leader of the clan and his mate. Lykae's don't age like humans do. We take a few more years to develop because there are two sides of us: the human and the wolf. In those years I was trained in many ways; from how to forage for food, to how to defend and plan strategies to protect the clan if the need arose. Being born from the leader, I had to prove myself to many of the Lykae's. It wasn't an easy task…" he trailed off as his mind wondered over them. They weren't pretty.

"My father passed away in battle in 1578, aged 684 – that's rather young for a Lykae, and I took over the clan the next day. From then on I knew that Bishop, my second in command, wanted control. Everything he did was to try and place doubt in my clan. He did things, things that I want revenge for…" The dream ran through Shane's mind and he shuddered softly. Thankfully Michael didn't ask about it.

"Without her mate, my mother passed away soon after. For centuries things ran smoothly, with the odd hiccup from Bishop and the few that loosely followed him. Until the vampires struck back. It was a stupid mistake when they caught me. I'd wondered onto their land, where they're stronger, following a stray scent that had been following my clan for weeks. I didn't even realise they'd caught me. That was in 1962."

"For years they tortured me, slowly peeling my skin away from bones. But not enough to kill me. No matter how much I wished for it, I didn't beg, and that's what they wanted. To bring me to my knees. However, Lykae's heal fast, as soon as I'd healed enough they continued the torture, each more ferocious than the last. I remember losing my mind, detaching myself from my body to cope with the pain and humiliation… It worked, to some extent. I was able to plan my escape, and when it happened, I came here. It was the last place that I'd heard of Lykae activity." Shane grinned despite himself. He loved this part the best, the part when he found Michael; his only light in a life of darkness.

"From first setting foot in Morganville, I knew you were here. I could smell your scent around the town. I followed trails, knowing it would lead me to you…only to be frustrated when your scent disappeared. For days I'd searched for you…it was only coincidence that I found you in the forest…"

Michael was utterly absorbed in Shane's tales. The way he spoke of them, so much emotion in his voice when he spoke of Bishop and his clan. Then he mentioned Michael. He'd never heard so much wonder and love in the Lykae's voice before. Twisting his head, he snuggled deeper into Shane's chest, breathing in the woody scent that was Shane.

Tentatively, Michael placed his palm on Shane's chest, his pale fingers spread wide over the tanned flesh. Shuffling, he changed his position until he straddled Shane's outstretched thighs, their groins only inches apart. Nervously, he looked in Shane's deep brown eyes, silently asking him if he was doing alright. He licked at his lips, wetting them with his tongue.

God that tongue…that sinful, pink tongue that would soon do wonders to Shane's body… Over the last few days Shane had noticed a change in Michael. He wanted more contact than before – not that Shane was complaining… His cool hands would roam Shane's body unconsciously at night, but never strayed beneath his belt line. And now, he was doing this consciously…he needed Shane.

It had to be the pull of the moon.

It would control Michael to some extent. No, control was the wrong word. She would influence the emotions and needs that Michael already had. She would make them more pronounced and make him offer himself for Shane… Just a small push in the right direction…

Shane groaned when an unexpected heat surrounded his nipple. Glancing down, he saw Michael's blonde hair moving slightly, kissing and nipping at the skin Shane had exposed. He could feel his tongue darting over him, playing with him until his body responded. Shane couldn't help it. This was Michael; his beautiful mate… What more could he ask for?

He heard Michael squeak in surprise when he felt Shane's desire. He was so innocent… Images began to form in Shane's mind, none of them innocent: Michael, on his knees, his succulent lips wrapped around his aching cock, on his back while Shane entered his virgin heat for the first time, his pale, slender legs wrapped around Shane's waist…the pleasurable expressions he would pull as he eagerly bounced on Shane's cock, his ass grinding against Shane's skin…

A groan escaped him as Michael continued his assault on his body. Shane's large hands gripped his ass, keeping him place while nudging him forward so their groins met in a fiery passion. Gently, he let one of his hands run up Michael's sides, a small smile playing on the edges of his lips when he felt Michael shiver. He was so needy… Lifting Michael's head up, he captured his lips slowly.

They moved in synchronisation, Michael submitting easily. Sliding down the bed, Shane allowed Michael to hover over him. A few seconds passed before Michael froze, his inexperience coming to the surface. It happened whenever they were in a position where things could go either way. A red blush lit up his pale cheeks. "I want to try something," he said quietly, his blush darkening.

He didn't allow himself time to back out.

Instead, Shane heard the zip on his jeans being pulled down torturously and the clank as his belt was undone. Within a matter of seconds, both items where on the floor. Pale fingers flitted over Shane's thighs, setting the nerves there alight with fire. Shane felt Michael tug on his underwear, and slowly he pulled the grey boxers down before allowing them to join his jeans on the floor.

Shane watched, his eyes soft and encouraging, as Michael's eyes widened and he sat back on his hunches. Again Michael's pink tongue licked at his lips nervously. "Do whatever you want," Shane encouraged. "Just don't hit me there," he laughed a little to help calm the nervous vampire.

He was ashamed to say, that he gasped out loud when he felt Michael's hand wrap around his straining cock. Delicate, butterfly touches flitted over his length. The whole time Michael was looking into Shane's eyes, his blue eyes sparkling with wonder, love and confusion. "Am – am I doing this right?" He voice broke in embarrassment.

"It's no different from your own," Shane murmured, his voice hoarse. "But you can use a firmer hand." He knew that Michael was more comfortable with his actions when he felt the vampire's grip on him increase, not painfully…but enough to tease him.

"Like this?" Michael teased softly, his thumb running over the head of Shane's cock. He knew he didn't have much experience. So he did the things he himself enjoyed. Every moan, groan and whimper (wow, he had Shane whimpering) was stored into the back of his mind for use later.

Pleasure ran through Shane's mind. He couldn't believe it. After everything Michael was still here, and giving him such a gift… Shallow breaths escaped him as Michael continued to toy with his cock, his hand gently running over the whole length. "Don't fucking tease me," he ground out between gritted teeth.

How could an innocent vampire do this to him?

Again and again Michael's hand trailed over Shane's heated cock, slowly pushing him towards the edge. With one final, fairy light, touch, Shane came hard, Michael's name falling from his lips quietly.

No Rest For The Wicked

"Yeah, the blood's in the fridge, down in the basement," Shane said, leaning against the counter top in the kitchen. Michael and Eve had gone out grocery shopping so it was just him and Claire left in the house. After pulling a few strings, Shane had managed to let Myrnin allow her the day off.

Over the last few days (since Michael and Shane had got back together) Shane had developed some sort of bond with Claire. He knew instantly that he could trust the other, brown hair, slightly geeky girl that was obsessed with physics. She was relaxed and laid back and –unlike Eve – supported Michael and his relationship.

"So, I just make sure he gets a bag every day. And depending on how he is, depends on how strong the sedative is?" She nodded as she went over things in her head. Shane had told her everything he could about his plan to take over his clan. And everything that involved Michael. Because she worked with Myrnin, she knew quite a lot (more than what most humans did) about vampire mates and their bonds.

Vampires were the most dependant supernatural creatures when it came to their mates. They craved them like a starving man craved food. To stop Michael from harming himself or withering away, Shane had spiked his own blood – now in bottles – with the sedative. All she had to do, depending on how Michael was that day, was give him the blood that would knock him out and slow down his body so he could keep what energy he needed to stay alive. And not hurt him in the process.

Meanwhile, Shane would attune the house to himself so that Michael wouldn't be allowed to leave through any exit: windows, doors or even a hole in the wall. It would stop him from going to look for Shane. Only when Shane had won the fight – or had been killed, but Claire refused to think of that – would the house allow Michael to leave and search for Shane or his mate's dead body.

Even she had to admit that the whole thing had been thought out perfectly.

"When you leave I've got to dart him?"

"Yeah, because he'll be a wreck. I doubt he'll drink the blood if you were to offer it to him. For the first few days allow him to test all windows and doors, when he knows he can't get out he should calm down a little and accept the blood if you offer him it." Shane chewed thoughtfully on the chilli dog that Claire had offered him before their talk. God was it good… Raw animals could only fulfil his diet for so long…

"But don't let him Call," Shane added as an afterthought.

"Call?" Claire repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Call?"

Shane swallowed the chilli dog quickly and washed it down with a can of Coke. "When a vampire's mate is in danger or they don't know where they are, they Call for them. It's like a way of finding out if they're alive or not, and where they are. Being a Lykae, we naturally defend our mates more than most. If I were to hear that then I wouldn't be able to stop myself, I'd come back here to check on him. As you know, if that happened while I was fighting Bishop then it wouldn't be a pleasant ending for me."

"How do I know if he's Calling for you?"

"It's a high pitched, keening sound. You'll hear it for about thirty seconds before it gets so high pitched that humans can't hear it. All windows (again it's another way of seeing if he can get out) and ornaments will crack and shatter. Do whatever you need to do to quieten him. I've put pure sedative in a few dart shots in the fridge, the same ones you should use when I first leave, and carry some of them on you at all times. Do whatever it takes, just don't permanently harm him."

Shane took a deep breath and put the dirty plate into the sink. His heart was hung with guilt, worry and pain at the thought of losing Michael. Not just that, the thought of leaving him in such a cowardly way… Sedating him so he couldn't see which way he'd gone. Knocking him unconscious without telling him what was happening. "Thanks for doing this," he muttered, hating the words.

"Don't worry about it. I'll keep him as safe as I can."

No Rest For The Wicked

Shane stared blankly at the drawing in front of him. It was a map that Theo had planned out. It was the network of caves that ran under Morganville – the place where the Lykae were currently residing. Theo had expertly marked out the entrances to the caves, the ones guarded by Lykae (ones who wished to kill Shane) and the ones that weren't. The entrances that weren't guarded were more physically demanding, either being blocked by rock slides or having fast flowing rivers pass through them.

"You're really going through with this?" Myrnin said, his voice grave. Shane had asked him to work on food sources that would quickly heal him if needed. In the corner of the lab there was a rucksack filled with ointments and creams to aid healing and fight infections and couple of random devices that Myrnin had still to explain.

"I can't let them roam while Michael remains unsafe," Shane murmured, memorising the map in front of him. He'd already planned his route with Theo's help. It went straight to the main chambers where he was most likely to find Bishop. Luckily it went through some of the unguarded tunnels so he shouldn't have to run into much of the guard. Good. The less casualties the better.

Theo moved in from the corner of the room and his hand rested on his friend's shoulder. "If anything happens, know that I'll treat him like my own. He'll be safe and protected with me."

Shane nodded his head sadly. "I know, Theo. I can't thank you enough."

"While you go, I'll try and round up what remains of your followers. Just know, their numbers are low and few will be fit to fight for you…" Theo said, his head bowed. "You know what Bishop does to rogues."

Shane nodded a little. He knew exactly what he did. He'd seen it first-hand that awful day in the caves when he'd found her, broken and bleeding, her head snapped viciously to the side. "Thank you, you're doing more than what I could ever ask of you."

"Good luck, my friend. Win this war. End it now." With one last clap on Shane's back, Theo retreated, his large form disappearing down the entrance to Myrnin's lab. With a slam of the wooden door, Theo was gone and into the night…

"How do you know you can trust him?" Myrnin said slowly as he began to point out more weak spots in Bishop's defences. "He knows a lot, possibly too much. He could stab you in the back as much as help you."

"He's been next to me during battles you could only dream of seeing. He's brought down many Lykae and vampires before. Theo's never once betrayed me…" Shane growled lowly… But Myrnin did have a point. He hadn't really spoken to Theo in the last half century because of the vampire's torture… With one threat to his family, Theo would be easily persuaded to change sides in this battle of power…

There was nothing Shane could do now.

Gathering up the map and placing it in the rucksack, he thank Myrnin for his time and efforts. They exchanged a few words, mainly good luck and suck for the future. And their last words should they not see each other again. When the door slammed shut, signalling Shane's leave, Myrnin spoke to himself.

"Good bye, old friend," Myrnin whispered into the darkness. "I do hope they're quick and merciless."

No Rest For The Wicked

"What happens when you want someone else to take over the clan?" Michael asked softly as they stood out on the balcony. Only weeks ago they'd been stood out here, Shane talking him out of ending his own life. Michael couldn't believe how much had changed. "You can't lead them forever…"

Shane stood beside him, his hand gripping Michael's tightly. He wasn't really listening. His mind was still going over the plans to conquer Bishop and regain the control of his clan. It took his a few seconds to think of an answer to Michael's question. Who would take over? He did have a valid point. Shane had been too caught up with taking back his clan to think about their future…

He knew there were fertility 'potions' out there, made of rare herbs and juices that would alter someone's body enough to allow them to have a child. Would they work on a vampire? More than that, would Michael even want to carry a child? Or would it kill him in the process. The thought of having a child was overwhelming, a being made of their own flesh and blood, able to unite the clan and vampire tribes…someone more powerful than ever before. But at what cost? If it meant losing Michael, then Shane would refuse.

"I know I can't, but at some point I will need an heir. Otherwise, when I die, the clan will be in turmoil and people will fight for the position…" And if they became the clan leader (and if Michael was alive) they would take him as their own, as a mark of 'respect' to their previously fallen leader. Michael would turn into a show of power, a slave to the one who took over. He couldn't allow that happen. "There a ways of making an heir, if you want to…"

"How?" Michael said quietly. All his thoughts revolved around Shane fucking some random Lykae woman in order to have a child. The thought made him sick.

"There are fertility 'potions' that would alter your body enough to be able to conceive and carry a child to full term. We could have a baby together, if you wanted to."

"Oh." Michael didn't know how to react. Part of him was giddy at the thought or someday having his own child. If he was with any other man then that option would be out straight away. But being with Shane… No, those were purely selfish thoughts…

At the same time…carrying his own child? The thought spooked him to no end. It was beyond anything that he'd ever imagined. The other part of him was denying it, screaming at him that he was too young, that he had his whole life ahead of him. And that it wasn't natural. Men weren't supposed to be able to do that…

"I don't know," he murmured, not wanting to put Shane's hopes down totally. "I think that's a big commitment…"

"It's OK, Michael, we can wait a thousand years or more. I won't rush you into this, you're still young…"

No Rest For The Wicked

Brandon's hand tightened around the human's throat. In front of him the dark haired boy spluttered and fought for breath, his face slowly turning a sickly shade of purple. His arm still shook (the pain was getting worse with every passing day) from the bastard's bite…but this was his revenge.

"Do as I say or you'll lose your life," he stated slowly, drawing out each word. Brandon had found him easily. It was the slightly more expensive side of Morganville with the small music shop tucked away neatly between two large houses. Brandon had never been one for being 'normal' instead he'd shattered the glass in the display window and now shards of jagged edges littered the floor.

"Fine, fine I'll do it. Just please, don't kill me," he begged. As soon as the glass had exploded he'd known there was trouble. He wasn't stupid, even for a human he could feel the power from this man. You didn't need to be a vamp to feel that. But this guy wasn't a vampire, his skin was warm and he was alive.

At the same time, he wasn't human either.

"If I find out you've told anyone…" Brandon shook the human like a ragdoll with every word he said. "You and all your loved ones with mysteriously die in a gruesome death." He laughed.

"I said I'll do it, just please, don't harm anyone."

"Only one thing will be harmed, if you listen."

"I'll listen, I swear by it!"

"Good," Brandon stated quietly, his voice steely and razor sharp. He threw the human across the shop, watching with a mixed glee as he collided with guitars and a thundering bang of broken notes. "Don't make me come back here. You know what to do."

Hey up! So, the plot thickens! You know why Shane needed the sedative, but do you think he's doing the right thing? And how will Michael react? Hope you enjoyed the lemon! And how do you think the human is? And can Theo be trusted? Any thoughts on Shane and Michael having a heir?

Love to know what you think… Thanks for reading and review. Please review again! 40 reviews this time? :D