Warnings for this chapter: Pushy Jack, unsure Will, and a cliffhanger that y'all kill me for. ...Erm...still unbetaed.I could write sex scenes...there'd be one in this part. ^.^;;

AN: If I could write sex scenes...there might have been one in this part. ^.^;;

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Crimson Ways
Part Ten

Abstention's like a precious jewel; a slave to blood is just a fool.

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Will broke away from the kiss. To answer Jack's annoyed and confused look, he asked 'How can you draw blood without fangs?'

'Trust me, luv, I have a nice set of them, so if you don't mind...' Jack started teasing Will's lips with light kisses.

Will tried to resist long enough to get his question answered. 'And if you don't mind, I'd like to know why you don't have them now.'

'They're retractable,' he replied distractedly.

'Let me see,' Will requested, leaning away from Jack.

'No.' Jack leaned forward, but Will held up a hand to stop him.

'Why not? Can't always get them to work--like an old man that can't get it up?' Will smirked at the undignified look Jack gave him.

'Getting 'em out's not the problem; it's retracting 'em that I have a problem with,' was his annoyed reply.

'Then show me. You have the rest of the day to pop them back in.'

Jack sighed and hung his head in defeat. He had a feeling he was fighting a losing battle. 'Fine.' He looked back up at Will and gave him a toothy grin. His canines were now at least a centimeter longer and came to a sharp point. 'Happy?'

Will stared in awe. He could see how teeth like those could cause damage. 'Wow,' was all he could manage. But as Jack leaned in again, he asked 'You're not really going to kiss me with those, right?'

'Yer the one that wanted to see them, remember? Ask and ye shall receive.'

'You'll probably bite my tongue off.'

'Nonsense. Where would the fun be in that? There are a lot more uses for your tongue than just a chew toy, luv,' he said, causing Will to turn a deep shade of crimson.

Will looked from Jack's lust filled eyes to his menacing fangs. Slowly and with uncertainty, he removed his hand from blocking Jack's way. 'Just...be careful.'

'I always am.'

Jack hungrily clamped his mouth around Will's and massaged his lips with his own. He passed his tongue over Will's lips, seeking entrance, which was eagerly granted. He gratefully explored the other mouth with his tongue, occasionally colliding with Will's.

Will moaned, triggering something in the back of Jack's mind. He was too engrossed by Jack's wandering hands to notice, or even care, that Jack's mouth was kissing its way down to the base of his neck. It wasn't until Jack began kissing his old wound that Will froze. 'J-Jack...?' His voice wavered as he spoke.

Jack paused at hearing his name. 'Mm?'

'Are you going to...bite me?'

Silence.

Will took Jack's silence and lack of movement as a 'yes.' He sighed and asked 'Are you going to infect me?'

Jack pulled himself off of Will's neck and stared intensely into his eyes. 'I would never wish for the curse of immortality on you. I love you too much for that.'

Will's breath caught in his throat. Jack just said that he loved him. Will smiled. 'I think...that I love you, too.' The words came from him so easily, so naturally. He leaned forward and gave Jack a small peck on the cheek. He pulled away, and, without much thought, tilted his head to the side, exposing the reddened area Jack had been previously attending to.

'Are you sure?' Jack asked.

Will nodded. 'You were going to anyway if I hadn't stopped you.'

Jack had to restrain himself from lunging at Will. He began with kissing Will's neck and proceeded to lick and suck.

Will was so caught up in the sensation that he never felt Jack's fangs enter into his body. After a minute or so, he was barely aware of a strange draining sensation and a quickly approaching tiredness. Will's eyes began to flutter shut as Jack removed his mouth from Will's neck.

Jack took Will in his arms and carefully laid him down on the bed.

'Jack...' Will tried to speak, but was much too tired to articulate anything worth hearing.

'Shh...' Jack pressed his lips against Will's. 'Go to sleep; you need it.'

'Mmm...' Will was quickly enveloped by the darkness of the dream world.

Jack cuddled up to Will on the small bed and wrapped his arms protectively around him before drifting into sleep himself.

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When Will awoke, he was still tire. A tinge of pain shot through his neck whenever he tried to move it. He felt something or someone nuzzling into the back of his neck with arms securely wrapped around him.

He recognized the wall he was staring at as his own, so he at least knew where he was. He tried to remember what had happened and how he got there. He craned his neck around, despite the pain, to see who he was sharing his bed with. It wasn't working too well, so he tried to turn his whole body around.

The arms around him tightened, and a voice came from behind his ear. 'Will ye sit still? Your movin' is rather annoying.'

Will immediately recognized the voice as Jack's. Broken memories from that morning came flooding back. He sat up, pulling out of Jack's hold. 'Y-you bit me!'

'Only with yer consent, luv. Wanna have another go?' Jack asked as he propped himself up on his elbows, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Will glared down at Jack, rubbing the sore spot on his neck. As he glared at Jack, he noticed something different about him. Was it just him, or did Jack look younger? Not only did her look a good five years younger, but he was a little paler as well--he still had a dark tan, but not as dark as Will remembered. 'You look...different. Younger.'

Jack's grin widened. 'Virgin blood tends to have the effect,' he replied. Sure, it was a lie, but it was worth it for the look on Will's face.

Will blushed. 'You can tell that?' he asked.

Jack laughed at Will's naivety. 'Course not. I couldn't tell the difference between the blood of the cheapest prostitute and a nun if my life depended on it!' he explained. 'It just has to do with what toxins are in yer blood; the less junk flowin' through your system, the better the outcome for me.'

'So drinking is bad for you. Maybe you should think of quitting.'

Jack put on a look of mock shock. 'Give up drinkin'?! Surely ye jest.'

'Won't the crew notice?' Will asked.

'Shouldn't, or they'll just ignore it, fearing me and my immortal wrath,' he replied jokingly. 'The only one that'd say anythin' at all would be Annamaria, but I think she might suspect something anyway.'

'Why is that?'

'Well, every time I do something that she disagrees with,' he said as he sat himself in an upright position, 'she mutters "damned loogaroo" under her breath.'

Will tried to stifle a laugh.

'It's not that funny,' Jack growled.

'Yes it is--with as effeminate as you are, it's downright hilarious,' Will said as he got off the bed. He stood too quickly and was hit with a dizzy spell. He lost his balance and fell back on the bed, into Jack's arms.

Jack smiled lovingly down at Will. 'You should take it slow. Ye've lost a lot of blood, y'know,' he said, giving Will a kiss on the tip of his nose.

'And who's fault might that be?' Will retorted.

'Yer the one that practically screamed "come an' get it."'

Will thought for a moment, trying to clearly remember the events that had happened only a few hours ago. He remembered glistening fangs, Jack sucking on his neck, Jack pulling away... And himself tilting his head to the side, making a very tempting morsel for any bloodsucker. Will sighed, realizing Jack was right.

Jack grinned victoriously. 'Glad to see ye remember now.'

'Yes, well, next time I'm overcome with complete idiocy, then, by all means, stop me.'

'Ah, but I've tried that, and I've found that it doesn't work. Besides, I think I'm getting to like the idiot version of you much better.'

Will huffed and tried to get back up, but Jack swiftly changed their positions so that Will was laying on the bed with Jack straddling his hips.

'J-Jack!' Will struggled in protest. 'I have other things I must do today before nightfall.'

'Don't do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow,' Jack replied in sing-song. He grabbed Will's hands and held them above his head, ignoring the glare he was receiving.

'That may be true, but staying in bed all day is not very productive.'

'Oh, I bet I can think of a few productive things one can do in bed.' Jack leaned down and licked Will's lips. 'I'd be more than happy to give you an example or two.'

'Somehow I don't believe that your idea of being productive is the same as mine,' Will replied. He squirmed under Jack's weight, but to no avail.

Jack's bemused smile turned into a predatory grin. He leaned down to Will's ear. 'Y'know,' he whispered, 'that only makes me want ye more.'

Will glared up at Jack as he returned to a more upright position. He decided then and there that Jack wasn't a vampire, dhampir, or whatever he claimed to be. No, he was an incubus. And a very annoying and insatiable one at that. It wasn't that he didn't want to do whatever it was that Jack had in mind, he just wasn't ready.

Will's neck was beginning to itch where Jack had bitten him, and it gave him an idea. 'Might I have one of my hands back?'

'That all depends... Why?' Jack ased, cocking his head to the side. He really didn't want to lose his prey before he got to have some fun with him, but he would never go against Will's wished. If Will really wanted to be let go, Jack would release him. But he'd have to beg first.

'I have a mosquito bite that needs to be scratched,' Will replied flatly.

Jack rolled his eyes, but let go of one of Will's hands nonetheless. He eyed Will as he scratched his neck. 'Done?'

'No. Now my arm itches. And my leg.'

Jack stared at Will blankly. '...What?'

'You've never had that happen to you? You get one itch, then as soon as you scratch it, your entire body breaks out in itches.' Will blinked innocently at Jack.

'Unlike you, luv, I don't have fleas.'

'Then you'd better get off, or else you'll have them, too.'

'Maybe I have them right now. How's about a little you scratch my back, I scratch yours?' Jack began to trail his free hand down Will's chest.

'Jack! Off, now!'

'Fine. Fine!' Jack got off of Will, clearly annoyed--mostly at himself. He plopped himself down on the chair by the desk.

'Thank you,' Will said as he sat up.

Jack waved a dismissive hand in response.

Will sighed. 'Please, Jack, try to see things from my perspective,' he pleaded, feeling slightly guilty for rejecting Jack's advances so bluntly. 'I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment, and you're taking things too fast. I don't know if you expect me to keep up, but I don't think I can. I care about you deeply enough to try, but I'm having such a hard time in doing so. I...I'm sorry.'

Will hugged his knees to his chest. He was afraid that Jack would just lose patience with him and leave. He didn't think he could handle that. Not now, not ever. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, awaiting Jack's reaction.

He heard the chair scratch against the wooden floor as Jack stood. Jack didn't make a sound--only that of near silent footsteps. Will feared the worst; he took Jack's silence as a sign of his leaving. It would probably be better for both of them this way--no long, painful goodbyes.

He waited a few moments, straining to hear anything at all from Jack. He desperately wanted to look, to see if Jack was still there, but he couldn't find it in himself to do so. Then he heard the door shut.

Will buried his face in his knees, feeling the tear build up. He tried to keep them from falling, but failed. His shoulders shook with from his silent sobs.

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AN II: My computer was acting as if it were about to perform Crash: the Fourth (still is), so I took my depression out on the ending of part ten. *nods* This part didn't turn out anything like I thought it would. ^.^;; Oh, yes. A 'loogaroo' is a kind of vampire. Usually seen as an old hag (hence the stupid feminine joke), it leaves its skin on the 'Devil Tree' at night and feeds on its victims as a sulfurous ball.