Chapter 11

Was he too late?

Switching on the light, Shane froze in the door way. No…

The room was dimly lit by a small lamp in the corner of the room yet the curtains were pulled shut, the only natural light coming from the small crack where the curtains didn't meet. Shadows ghosted along the walls and Shane shivered as Goosebumps rose on his arms. The whole room had a dark and dismal feel to it…

But Shane wasn't bothered about the room. Pushed into one corner was Shane's bed. But something was in it…and that something wasn't Shane… And it moved. The covers that were wrapped tightly around it shook with small shudders and cries came from the thing in the blanket. Just as Shane was about to back out of the room, one of the shadows danced crossed the bed, highlighting a head of blonde hair.

Michael.

For a few minutes Shane stayed by the door listening to the vampire's cries. His name was mumbled out and every time it was called he saw Michael raise something to his wrist. Apologises were constantly streaming from the vampire's mouth in a crazy stream of whimpers. A dark liquid spilled over the bed sheets, staining them a bloody red.

"Michael?" Shane whispered. He had to stop him; he couldn't let the vampire injure himself like this. Closing his eyes for a second, he took a step into the shadowed room and shut the door behind him. He was trapped. Michael could do anything he wanted to him…but Shane knew it was the only way to let the vampire know that Shane trusted him. On whatever crazy, insane level that was.

Surprisingly Michael didn't look at him. He just curled into a tight ball, his bloody arms wrapped around knees. He'd buried his face into Shane's pillow, the scent of his mate seeming to ease the guilt in his heart. "Stop it…" Michael's voice shook as he spoke, more to himself than to Shane. Was he even aware that Shane was here? Or was he too far gone? "All I hear is your voice…shouting at me, screaming in fear… Please, stop…"

Shane knew that Michael didn't have a clue he was there. Had he gone crazy without seeing him? Michael had started talking to himself, pleading for the voices in his head to 'stop torturing him'. He felt for the vampire, he truly did. But Shane was here, why wouldn't Michael notice that? Unless he was seeing things…seeing ghosts and shadows of Shane. "Michael, I'm here. You're not dreaming."

"You always say that…then I look, and you're not there." Again he raised the item (a sliver cross) to his wrist and sliced his skin with it. A gasp of pain came from him but he continued to slash at his skin.

"Michael! Stop that!" Shane lunged forward, somehow managing to get a grip on the small, silver cross. Beneath him Michael thrashed, his eyes clenched shut as he refused to look at the weight on top of him. What were the chances it would be Shane? It could be anyone. He flashed his fangs and growled lowly. Couldn't he be left to mourn on his own? First Sam and then this guy. "For fucks sake! Open your fucking eyes!"

Shane wrenched the cross from Michael's hands, blistering the vampire's hands in the process. Launching the cross to the opposite side of the room, Shane watched as it hit the wall with a clatter and fell to the floor. Beneath him Michael was still struggling, but not as much. He seemed to have given up. Small, desperate growls escaped his parted lips and his fangs cut into his bottom lip at a painful angle. "Michael, I'm here. Open your eyes, man!"

"No you're not," Michael cried, bloody tears running down his temples. "It's just voices, illusions. I need Shane back." He clutched at the slices on his wrists, spreading the dark blood across his arms and irritating the cuts so that they oozed blood quicker than before.

He was getting desperate. How could he get Michael to open his God damned eyes? If he knew another way then he'd have taken it. But he really needed to see his eyes. Shane had to make Michael believe he was here. Who knew how far the vampire had gone?

So Shane slapped him.

Hard.

Michael's eyes flew open, flecked with red, and they instantly locked on Shane's worried face. Not another illusion. Hadn't he been tormented enough? But this seemed too far-fetched to be an illusion. Shane was solid in his arms; his skin was warm against his and his heartbeat was quick and alive. Shane was alive and in his arms.

Suddenly everything else didn't matter. He wrapped his arms tightly around Shane, breathing in the fresh scent of his mate. Nothing could ruin this moment, not even the fait coffee smell that lingered on Shane's skin. Michael stayed on one side of Shane's neck; he didn't want to see the scars of his own teeth on Shane's skin. Instead, he gazed up at the bonding mark, the faint silver lines that marked Shane as his own, his hand roamed over the mark and delighted sounds came from the body above him. He wanted to taste Shane, to press his own lips against the only ones that could warm his ice cold skin. But he didn't know how far he could push Shane. If Shane were to recoil it would shatter Michael.

No, he'd stay with what he knew.

Shane squirmed as he felt a cold mark gently running over the rough edges of the bonding mark. His eyes never strayed from Michael's face. In one look he knew Michael had suffered in Shane's absence. His skin had a greying tint and his cuts weren't healing. His fangs had yet to disappear…

And his lips. They were torn from his fangs and very pale but they'd never looked so appetising. From the tense set in Michael's shoulders Shane knew that he wasn't going to risk anything. Shane would have to push things forward if he wanted to. So he pressed his lips to Michaels. Fire exploded in his nerves and felt Michael tighten his hold on him. Under the ministrations of his tongue, Michael's fangs slowly retreated so as to not harm Shane in any way. Their tongues touched and danced before Michael allowed Shane to explore his mouth. For the first time, the vampire had submitted and allowed Shane to do as he wished to his body.

He never thought he'd say this, but it felt wrong when Michael submitted. He wasn't supposed to do that…

Against his back he felt Michael's blood soaking through his tattered shirt. He still wasn't healing. Rolling them over, Shane offered his neck to the vampire – the side where the bonding mark was. "Drink, you need it." Michael only shook his head in response. "Are you really going to do this to me Michael? You're wasting away, drink it. I'm offering!"

Slowly blue eyes turned red and his fangs slipped down again. With one last look into Shane's eyes, Michael dipped his head to settle his mouth against Shane's neck. Michael licked at the hot skin a few times, covering the previous coffee scent with his own. Whoever had touched Shane beforehand wouldn't touch him again… Hot blood filled his mouth when he bit down and he moaned in pleasure. It tasted of chilli, tacos and chocolate: everything that was Shane. It exploded on his taste buds and he couldn't help the noises that left his parted lips.

Shane tensed when he felt Michael's fangs slip into the marks in his neck. He couldn't help it. After his last encounter with Michael's teeth he was surprised that he still let him near him never mind feed from him. But this was different. Because of the bond mark, Michael's teeth constantly brushed against it, irritating the surfaces and sending waves of pleasure through Shane's system. Above him Michael's body protected him and ground down on him and his blonde hair tickled the side of Shane's face.

But it was right. Everything was how it should be. Nothing else mattered. It was just Michael and Shane, each of them healing the other emotional and physical wounds.

Blood Bond

A sharp knock at the door stirred Shane from his slumber. Behind him (Michael had fallen asleep with his chest to Shane's back and one of his arms around his waist) Michael sighed and mumbled, "Stay here, I'll get it."

Michael moved slowly. He wanted to stay with Shane as long as possible. Regretfully he pulled on a shirt and stepped into a pair of jeans that had been laying somewhere on the floor. What was the point of putting clean clothes on when he was going to go straight back to Shane, in bed, when once he'd managed to get rid of the visitor? Shutting the bedroom door behind him, he flitted down the steps and opened the door cautiously.

Sam stood on the porch steps, a large hat shading his face from the worst of the sun's glare and burning fingers. Relief flooded him when he saw Michael's flushed skin and shining eyes. Something had happened last night. Something had changed him from the catatonic state he'd previously been in. Sam pushed past Michael and told him to shut the door and lock the dead bolts. The last thing he wanted was for Oliver to come barging in.

Not that a few locks would stop a vampire if they really wanted to find someone.

"Nice to see you too, Sam," Michael said sarcastically.

"Sorry, Michael. I'm not here to socialise. If you find Shane, hide him, protect him. Do whatever you need to do, no matter what he says, to keep him safe."

Panic flooded Michael and it suffocated him. Drowning. Shane was in danger. Real life, mortal danger. He could almost feel his dead heart begin to beat again in fast furious pace. This couldn't be happening. Michael had only just got him back. "Who from? What from?"

"Oliver: he's trying to claim Shane as his mate. Protect him with your life, Michael. If Oliver bites him over your bonding mark then you'll lose him."

Oliver. Sharp growls vibrated through his chest and he couldn't be bothered to try and stop them. That explained the coffee scent! He was trying to steal his mate from him! "He's not getting Shane. I won't let him. I'll die first."

Hey up! So, what do you think? Are you glad they're back together? And what about Oliver? Please review and thanks for reading! 40 reviews maybe? :D