Did it ever get easier? Geoffrey wasn't sure that he wanted it to get easier. It wasn't as though he had had this struggle with Hodge when he'd bit him, but it… well it didn't feel the same. There was something different about this, something in this that meant more to him than human blood. It wasn't offered in a moment of panic, there was no reason that this had to happen now, it was being freely offered for his comfort, he didn't need this to survive. He swallowed stiffly and followed Reid with his eyes as the other Ekon stood up, unbuttoning the front of his vest and then starting on his shirt.

"Wait, what are you doing?" he asked, startled as the doctor paused, looking at him curiously.

"I get tired of washing bloodstains out of everything, if I have the opportunity to avoid it, I'd rather take it." Reid said reasonably, and really, it did make sense. Geoffrey didn't often think about how well he was going to get bloodstains out, they were just a fact of life for him, ever present and always dogging after him. He wasn't sure that he even owned a single article of clothing that hadn't been permanently stained from either blood or grease or gunpowder. As long as it wasn't the first thing someone saw when they looked at it and it wasn't torn to shreds it was perfectly serviceable.

"Right…" he didn't have a good rebuke to that and any thoughts that he did have quickly fled from his mind as the doctor slid the simple white collar shirt from his shoulders. They were very good shoulders. McCullum wasn't one to get shy about bared skin, couldn't be when he'd grown up in such close quarters with other people, living his life more as a soldier than a person. But he was already working hard at trying to keep his fascination hidden, to keep Reid from seeing the way his eyes lingered and this… this was not helping. The doctor was wearing a worn tank top beneath the shirt but despite that Geoffrey could see that the man had been fit when he'd been turned. Not terribly surprising given he was a soldier just back from the front but it didn't help the way his eyes caught on the pale, smooth muscles of the tops of his arms.

The doctor folded everything neatly and placed it on a side table and then turned to face the guard in the only chair.

"This will probably be easier if I'm sitting. Do you want my wrist or my neck? You're not going to be able to do any damage that I can't come back from." he sounded so sure of himself and Geoffrey found himself reeling for a moment as he thought.

"Err," he managed, intelligently as he tried to get his mind to refocus and failed miserably.

"The wrist is less… intimate. However you'll get better flow from the neck, there's larger and more plentiful veins to access."

"The neck is fine." Geoffrey said quickly, not particularly thinking it through, he just wanted to stop talking about it and be done with it. The nervousness he'd been feeling as it pertained to losing control was quickly losing out to the nerves of trying not to flush and bluster about like a fool.

For his part Reid seemed calm and collected and waited patiently as Geoffrey realized that he needed to give up his seat. Just so he had the opportunity to not look the man in the face he undid and rolled up his own sleeves. He'd have to botch this spectacularly to get blood all over his hands but it gave him the handful of breaths that he needed in order to no longer feel as though he were going to spontaneously combust. The familiar and soothing motion took his adrenaline down several notches and he was able to face the doctor in front of him again. Jonathan was just watching, calm and easy and when McCullum faced him once more he tilted his head back slightly.

The hunger that Geoffrey had mostly pushed to the back of his mind came roaring to the front once more. He swallowed stiffly, his fangs suddenly feeling larger in his mouth than they actually likely were. All he could see was the muted red as it throbbed slowly through the doctor's throat. It was the only thing that mattered, it would soothe the ache, cool and rich. He leaned forward, not thinking anymore, his fingers tilting that red so that he could properly reach it, his body settling on something sturdy, giving him a better angle, and his own head tilting to the side so he could sink his fangs deeply into the rich source right in front of him.

It was just as good as the small sample that Reid had provided before, and the time he'd shoved his wrist into his fangs in the alleyway, better even, there was not rush here, and there was so much… he sighed into the cool flesh. His claws flexed, sharp enough to feel but he didn't want to break skin, didn't want to waste any of it when his prey was so pliant beneath him. He held tighter, he never wanted this to be over. It was pure bliss flowing down his throat and through his body, warming him, nourishing him. There were probably sounds coming out of his mouth but he was in no state of mind to know what they were.

Too soon there was pressure, his prey beginning to struggle, that couldn't be, he didn't want that… he bit harder, trying to force the movement to stop but there was a sound… it was an important sound…

"Geoffrey!" Reid's voice held more than a little bit of mesmer in it and McCullum blinked, pulling back suddenly. It didn't put him under the same way it likely would've if he were human, but it certainly got his attention. He had just enough sense of mind to unlatch his fangs from the doctor's throat, euphoria still dripping through his veins. He let his head fall heavy to the other man's shoulder as the shivering started. Geoffrey knew that he wasn't going to be able to think straight for a couple of minutes, let alone move. He glanced at the site he'd just let go of on the Ekon's neck and ran his tongue up it to collect the remains, better than letting it go to waste.

"I didn't think you were going to listen to me, I'm surprised." Reid said nearby. McCullum was just barely able to manage a grunt of acknowledgement, the words sliding right out the other ear as he was still wrapped up in what had to be the best thing that he'd ever tasted.

Reid went quiet after that, letting him come down from his high in peace, that or if he did say anything else, the guard certainly didn't make any sense of it. It was several long minutes before he was truly able to register what was around him, what was going on. He wondered if it was going to be like this every time with Reid's blood. Was it a thing with Ekon blood? Maybe. He managed a shaky breath and took stock of himself for the first time since the blood had hit his tongue and felt every bit that he'd just taken shoot to his cheeks. He was currently straddled over Jonathan's thighs, his fingers tangled in the other man's hair. Geoffrey scrambled to his feet, nearly falling over as he did, still not completely stable or down from his high. It was already starting to get old and he'd only experienced it a handful of times in his unlife.

"I… I'm sorry." he managed, unable to meet Reid's eyes. The other man didn't move in his peripheral vision and took a moment to say anything but when he did his voice was lower than it usually was, or maybe McCullum's blood-addled brain was just reading too much into the situation.

"It's quite alright, though a bit of warning next time might be in order, I'd find a better chair for this, we're lucky this one holds up." the doctor said, only moving to cross one leg over the other. Geoffrey cleared his throat, trying to tame the flush in his cheeks and the way that the rest of his body wanted to respond to this situation. It had been too long since he'd been that close with another person and that was not at all helping the scenario nor the images that his imagination wanted to push through his mind. The motion of his throat just reminded him of the taste of Jonathan's blood and instead he pinched the bridge of his nose and took three long measured breaths, counting the seconds as he did and then looked at Reid. The doctor wasn't looking at him either, instead he was rubbing at the side of his neck, a distant expression on his face.

"I, well it wasn't intentional, and… well hopefully this won't need to be a habitual thing." the commander said, rolling down his sleeves as carefully as he could despite the fact that he couldn't seem to get his claws under control. He needed to get out of here now. Anything was better than standing and stewing in his own embarrassment.

"Right…" Jonathan said, it was soft, and the hesitancy still had to be something that Geoffrey was imagining.

"I should probably be going." McCullum choked out

"Right…" Reid didn't stand but neither did he stop the guard from leaving. "Happy hunting McCullum."

-Face your Fears-

The brisk walk through the cold streets helped him feel more himself but at the same time it made his cheeks burn in embarrassment at what he'd done. It hadn't been on purpose. But that didn't make it any less awkward the fact that he'd just climbed on the other man's lap and cradled his head like a lover. Sure they could both blame it on the fact that he needed easier access to the doctor's neck but deep down he was certain that it wasn't just that. He was interested in the Englishman, there was no denying that anymore.

At least for the moment he was able to push it aside with needing to get back to base, to beat out the rest of the darkness. He wiped frantically at his face, not having stopped to do so when he'd fled Reid's home. Geoffrey hoped it was good enough and was going to sneak into his room through the window when he saw Lloyd sitting at his desk, a deep frown etched into his face.

Well out of the frying pan and into the fire. He needed to get back inside and if he was camping out in his room there was no avoiding Lloyd and whatever project he'd gotten himself entangled in. The window was silent as he opened it but there was no disguising the rush of cold air that burst into the room with his entry. The older man looked up, frowning as he watched Geoffrey navigate his frame through the window.

"We're clearly doing something wrong if you feel the need to sneak back into headquarters." He groused, shivering as McCullum closed the window and shrugged out of his coat. It was much warmer inside but it only reminded him that they needed to do some maintenance on the building if they wanted to keep up with the cold winters.

"Didn't want to get swarmed this late in the evening." the commander grunted, unbelting his sword and putting it away. He continued to clean up, waiting for the captain to say his piece.

"Where were you?" was what came out instead.

"Running a personal errand, does it matter?"

"It does if the lads are lookin' for you." Lloyd insisted

"I was having a bit of fun, taking care of a few needs, is that what you needed to hear?" it was close enough to the truth he figured. Lloyd scoffed and rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else, instead beginning to explain the papers that he had spread out on Geoffrey's desk. The Ekon listened as the older captain laid out what he planned on doing and asked what he needed to ask the leader's opinion on. McCullum was starting to feel the dawn coming, feeling sleepy his bones weighing him down. He yawned, sure to cover his mouth so that he didn't accidentally flash fangs at the older man. He didn't like that seemed to be an instinctive habit, though it was nice to know that they could spot any leeches by seeing them yawn. When he blinked a couple of times and was able to focus again he found Lloyd watching him carefully.

"So you're saying that if we sell off this warehouse we'll have enough resources to last a few months?" Geoffrey tried, hoping that Lloyd was going to just continue on.

"Get some sleep." the captain said instead, but he looked disappointed and Geoffrey was able to see the exhaustion that was in his limbs, even without the enhanced senses.

"No, please, keep going."

"I'm not going to keep rattling your ear off if you're just going to fall asleep on me and I'll have to repeat it all again in the evening." Lloyd said, waving a hand. "I'll wake you a little early, make sure we have time to go over all of this before you go disappearing on me again."

Geoffrey frowned a bit sheepishly, he didn't want to make the other man feel underappreciated but he didn't regret going to see Reid.

-Face your Fears-

It was still daylight outside when Lloyd shook him awake, the feeling of his hand was a bit more frantic than the commander had anticipated. The faint dregs of the dream that felt like bizarre memories that had been put in a blender slipped through his fingers like sand as he sat up suddenly, breathing more heavily than he would've liked. Waking up seemed to be a bit of an ordeal since he'd changed. Not that he'd been good at waking up before either. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and took a couple of deep breaths before looking at the captain.

"What?" he managed, he was fairly certain that his glamour was still working properly but it wasn't like he could check, or even ask Lloyd without giving up the game.

"You, are you okay sir?" Lloyd asked, sitting down in the chair from the desk and Geoffrey was unfortunately remembering when he'd awoken in the med room with Russel and Lloyd looming over him.

"I'm fine, still waking up, can't say I slept well, why?" he didn't like lying to the man but now was not the time to try and get into the particulars.

"You were awfully still, seemed like you were sleeping pretty hard to me." Lloyd had a mug of strong tea in his hand and another was steaming merrily away on his desk. How long had he been trying to wake him up? On the outside he shrugged and threw the covers back, trying not to shiver as he stood up and ran a hand through his hair.

Lloyd thankfully seemed to drop it from there at least, going over the budgeting that he'd been working his way through much to McCullum's appreciation. He didn't like doing it and the older man was much better at it than himself. He pretended to sip at the tea and mostly just enjoyed the feel of the warm mug on his hands. The discussion was at least productive even if it felt like it took longer than it should have due to the pair of them being light on sleep and one of them fighting their very nature to remain conscious. And it ended with the captain bringing up a list of Russel's concerns about supplies and Geoffrey perked up, it was as solid of an opening as he was ever going to get.

"Do you think Russel would work better with another pair of hands?" he asked innocently enough.

"Sure, if we ever had anyone skilled enough to do so, but we can wish for a mountain of gold from the ceiling for all the good it would do." the captain laughed. McCullum hesitated, trying to think through his next words very carefully, he wanted to bring this up in such a way that it wasn't going to immediately be shot down. Lloyd's expression hardened as he saw the contemplation on his leader's face.

"McCullum, what do you have planned?" the question came out slowly but firmly.

"Listen to what I have to say before you shoot the whole thing down." Geoffrey insisted after a beat. His captain's eyes were wary but he didn't say anything as the leader took another breath. "I've run into Reid a few times,"

"The leech doctor?"

"Yes, he's been-"

"The very one you said we should bide our time before going after again? The very one that beat you within an inch of your life? Geoffrey have you lost your mind?" Lloyd was starting to work himself up into a full rant and McCullum held his hands up placatingly. He wished it were as simple as having lost his mind, that would make this whole thing so much simpler but he'd been forced to see eye to eye with the doctor when it had been the very last thing that he'd wanted to do.

"It's far more complicated than you're making it out to be." he interrupted when Lloyd showed no signs of slowing down. The older man paused for a brief moment and McCullum took the opportunity to bowl ahead. "There have been a few incidents recently where he's swooped in to save our hides. Not to mention he did in fact keep to his word on taking care of whatever it was that had its grip on London. I gave him the chance to talk, that's all."

"He's a leech,"

"I haven't forgotten that. But despite having every opportunity to do so, he has yet to lie to me. He's kept his words to the best of his ability every time we've spoken. He's also come through on more than one occasion to help when he certainly didn't need to. I'd like to ask him to help us."

"Now I know you've lost your mind." Lloyd growled, hand gripping around the crucifix at his throat. Geoffrey had a moment of panic but nothing seemed to wash over him as it came into view. One more idiosyncracy that separated him from other leeches it seemed.

"I've already spoken to Hodge about this." he said simply and the older man froze. "We both agree that we could use the help more than we're concerned with the idea. He's left the hospital, seems the new administrator isn't keen on a man who can only work nights, so there's no conflict there. In addition if we have him here it's all the easier to keep an eye on him in case he slips up."

"McCullum, for one I don't much appreciate being cut out of the discussion, was I the only one cut out?"

"No, it was the initial phase of an idea that Hodge and I were pushing about, but that doesn't mean I haven't thought on it more, and the longer I consider it the more I think it's in our best interest."

"For two then, you'll have to talk to the other captains, I know that in all honesty your word goes, but it's for the best if everyone's amenable to it. And for three, you really, truly think that you can trust our injured with a leech? That he won't just be using this opportunity to thin our ranks?" Lloyd wasn't red in the face anymore but his heart was still pounding heavily in his chest, it worried McCullum a little and he figured he should pressure the man to take a few nights off and get some rest if they could sort all of this without a fight.

"He's already been working in a hospital, one that we've been keeping a particularly keen eye on and beyond the idiocy with the Disaster there hasn't been a single unexplainable death there."

"Just means he's been covering his tracks well."

"Which he wouldn't be able to do if he were here."

"That still doesn't stop him from draining a man when we're not looking."

"It would be awfully stupid of him to do so here, in front of so many of us, it'd be tantamount to suicide."

"So would showing a leech our headquarters." Lloyd argued

"So we don't scrap the warehouse and turn it into a proper med bay, stock it and give Ross the space he's been complaining about for ages."

There was so long a pause that McCullum was certain that he was going to shoot it down before Lloyd sighed heavily and said.

"I'll consider it, if and only if, we can rearrange these finance plans to account for that. And that's before you even speak to the other captains."

It was a hard bargain but Geoffrey knew that Reid was worth the time this was going to take.

-Face your Fears-

It took well into the night for the pair of them to finalize the plans, it wasn't helped by the nearly dozen times they were interrupted by various cadets and captains for questions of varying importance. Hodge came to join after a while, which was good, may as well get the kid familiar with all the ins and outs of the boring part of leadership. While Geoffrey was running the numbers Lloyd grilled Hodge on the idea they'd been tossing around before and that he'd just barely brought up with Reid and Wes was able to affirm that he had in fact agreed with the idea and that Doctor Reid wasn't so bad when you got to know him.

None of this thrilled the older guardsman but most of the fight had already been worn out of him by Geoffrey's arguments and by the mind-numbing work they'd been doing all evening. After he'd finished his tally the pair were still arguing and he desperately needed to stretch his legs. He didn't seem to get stiff in the same way as he had while he was human he still had this compulsion to move so he stood and collected the mugs from the small desk and wandered down to the kitchen. It was blissfully empty, most everyone out on patrols so no one asked him about the tea he dumped in the sink. He then refilled Lloyd's mug and gathered another for Hodge before taking a lap around the headquarters and heading upstairs.

The pair seemed to have finished their latest argument and were instead glaring at the numbers that Geoffrey had run before going downstairs. He passed out the tea and blatantly ignored the look Hodge gave him before settling back into his chair.

"So. Do you think it'll work?" he asked, nodding at the scrap paper he'd been checking his sums on

"It'll be a real tight few months." the older captain said with a frown, he looked over to Hodge who was frowning just as hard at the paper.

"I don't like it." Wes said slowly

"Okay, why?" Geoffrey asked, leaning forward and meeting the younger man's eyes. He could tell that Hodge saw through a bit of his glamour then as his body froze and a shiver worked its way up his spine. "There is no wrong answer, I just want to know if you have a better plan in place." he assured, he wondered if he'd accidentally put some mesmer into his words, he didn't think he had but it wasn't a power he understood particularly well. Neither was it one that he really wanted to try to master. He should try to take some time to talk to Reid about it even if the other Ekon wasn't keen on talking about it, it was something that he should know about regardless.

"Please… if you have a better idea, put it out there. Goodness knows that Lloyd and I have spewed the last remaining bits of our brains into the sheets in front of ye." he continued, gesturing to the captain's notes. Wes scoffed and then made a few more notes before responding to anything that Geoffrey had said in the past several minutes

"I don't like being strict for a few months more than the rest of us, however I think we're overlooking a big part of this…" he paused, clearly for effect in such a way that actually had Geoffrey pausing in hopes that he had some sort of Ekon trick planned up. He didn't. Instead he just continued on with the rest of his plan

"We still have to convince Dr. Reid of this plan."