Chapter 29

“…I killed the bitch…both of them and brought him back here.” Richie was hanging on to Jon’s every word, he didn’t even turn his head as he took the cup from Tico. As Jon completed the story Richie spoke for he first time.

“Fuck bro’! You guys went through some major shit these last few days!”

“He will be ok. That’s all that counts.”

Every head nodded.

“Ahem….Jon, I’m sorry for misinterpreting the whole thing when I walked in. I just had a hell of a trip back and I haven’t slept for quite a while. I think my mind was screwed and I overreacted.”

Jon looked away.

“No harm done.” The room was quiet. All was not alright but no one had the guts to push it further.” So tell me about your trip.” Blue met brown.

“It was a total fuck up. You won’t get what you need there.” Richie’s face was blank. Jon flipped through Richie’s mind.

“There’s a lot you’re not telling me, Ksenia for instance.” Jon smiled wickedly.

Richie jumped up, pacing like a wild animal.

“Get out of my damn head Jon. You don’t have a fucking clue what happened!”

“So tell me. You know I need this.”

Richie swung around. Somehow he had managed to force Jon out of his mind, or maybe Jon wanted him to tell him himself, which he wasn’t sure of.

“Well you aint gonna get it from him and thats final. We will search somewhere else.”

Fury coiled inside Jon.

“I don’t have time Richie. Did he refuse to help us?”

Richie snorted.

“Oh no he will help us alright. Help you die a horrible death that is!”

Jon stood up, walking the opposite way to check on David.

“Stop being so fucking melodramatic and tell me what is the fucking problem…Dave! You awake brother?”

He nodded weakly.

“I need water.” Jon lifted his head gently, dribbling a few drops onto his lips as not to choke him.

As the men filed into the room, David seemed more himself.

“Rich you back! Any news?” he struggled to sit up, wooziness came over him but he fought to sit up.

“Easy now! You are still weak my man. Are you hungry?” Jon clucked around him.

“Yeah...yeah I think so but I feel a bit queasy.” He rubbed his stomach lightly, pulling a face.

“Tico will you order him some soup and a few extra slices of bread? That should settle his stomach.” Tico reached for the phone.

“You haven’t answered Dave’s question Richie.” Jon was challenging him, the subtle glow in the blue depths meant business.

“You cant go there Jon. That creep is fucking nuts. He captures vampires at night, lock them up and force his deadly potion on them. Some survive, others get so sick, they die a horrible death and even if they don’t die, they die because of his crazy ass experiments!”

“But you just said some of them survive. It’s a chance I will take.” Determination lit his eyes to a luminous blue.

“NO! For fuck’s sake, you are just fine as you are. Why cant you just practice some patience and learn to control your bloodlust like anyone else? What makes you so fucking special?!” Richie was roaring at him from across the room.

A growl swirled from deep within Jon, charging towards his throat into an ominous snarl, one hand clawed a glass and he turned towards his target and swung it into the air. Everyone watched as the glass traveled towards Richie’s face. It shattered against his jaw, slicing a deep gaping wound into his skin. Blood spat into all directions and Richie grabbed at his face, the shock turning his eyes as black as night.

“What the fuck?” Richie could only stare and the men stared back in turn, Jon in shock about what he had just done and Tico and David staring at the blood gushing from his fingers, dripping onto the floor.

Tico rushed towards Richie’s side.

“Get me a towel Tic. I’ll be ok.” It seemed as if Richie was swaying on his feet, his pale features bore into Jon’s.

Tico brought him a wet towel, holding it up, he cringed as Richie dropped his hands.

“¡Madre santa!. You need stitches! This doesn’t look good.”

The thought of needles paled Richie a few shades more and he pressed harder, hoping to stop the bleeding, seal the gash…hell ANYTHING. Just no doctors!

Jon moved swiftly, finding himself before Richie.

“I fucked up, I’ll fix it.” There was no smile, there was…nothing. Just empty blue pools.

“YOU! You stay the fuck away from me! Your mood is bouncing all over the fucking place man! What’s the matter with you?!”

“This is why I need this professor Richie. It’s not just my lust for blood, it’s everything else…my emotions are like a damn rollercoaster. Up the one moment, down the next. Let me help you…” He reached for the towel and this time Richie didn’t resist.

“What you gonna do?” Curiousness overrode  uncertainty.

“I’m going to seal the wound. If you get that stitched you’ll have a nasty scar…and we don’t want that, do we?”

The blood was streaming from open flesh and although Jon had fed only hours before, he couldn’t control the flash of fangs.

Huge hands shot up in the air.

“Wooaaaaaaa….and how you gonna do that?” The fangs didn’t bode well.

“I’m going to clean the wound and seal it…with my mouth.”

After the words were said Richie was now definitely swaying on his feet.

“You lick my face? That is just fucking bizarre bro’, thanks for the offer but….”

Jon interrupted, crooking his finger, he signaled Richie to follow him.

“Come see David’s wrist. See? Nothing. I don’t know if Dave can remember but the women had almost chewed right through his wrist. I extracted the venom from there and healed the wound.”

“I’ll be damned!” Tico ogled the perfect skin, with all the commotion he hadn’t even noticed.

“Richie, see it as Bon Jovi’s personal band aid.” He swayed the wrist before him, a goofy grin on his face.

The oppressiveness vanished and everyone burst out laughing.

“Oh hell! Ok then but you better not enjoy it asshole!” Richie was tired of the sticky feeling of the blood on his face and the burning pain accompanying it.

Sitting down next to David on the bed, he motioned Jon closer.

“If any of you fuckers breath so much as a word about this…I’ll kill your asses, YOU HEAR?”

The snickers died down as he scowled once more, the scowl wasn’t too convincing. Tiny shards of light danced in the dark depths of his eyes.

“Ok vamp…do your magic.”

Scrunching his eyes closed, he gulped. He saw the flash of eyes and fangs, that was more than enough. The moment Jon’s hands touched his face, he jumped.

“Scared Sambora?”

The lisp had his hair stood on end.

“Fuck you Bongiovi.”

The first lick felt like death to Richie, death by embarrassment. Ever so slowly he felt himself becoming weightless, it was as if he was floating. His thoughts got wings and he saw Ksenia’s face, hot summer days,  sand between his toes, warm nights in front of a fireplace, the perfect lyrics to a song…..

Jon saw Richie’s thoughts as he put his newly acquainted gift to use. The acidity in his blood dissolved slowly, the only taste present, the slight sting of alcohol.

Suddenl,y images of Richie’s past few days crashed into his mind and he lingered for a moment without licking the wound. Fury, shock, compassion and lust swirled into a gigantic globe, every emotion its own color. A hue of bright scarlet overwhelmed the twirling colors for a moment and Jon almost snorted out loud. The man had some good sex! An array of lavender and cerulean twirls merged with the scarlet and Jon realized it was more than just one of Richie’s wild romps. He had feelings for the girl. The color of protection and devotion were now overpowering the scarlet and Jon shuddered, was she his mate?

Retreating from his mind, he focused on the wound, feeling the flesh sealing beneath his tongue. Richie was coming back to the present, his body rigid as he realized where he was.

Comprehension dawned as he recognized Jon’s part in his sudden feelings of complete safety. He had been glamoured by a vampire.

Jon moved away, his eyes were fixed on Richie’s jaw.

“See for yourself.”

Richie stood up, staring at his face in the mirror. There was no trace of blood or any damage to his face, the wound was completely gone!