Part 22 (1/2)

Tyler sucked in some breath, anger bubbling to the surface. ”Thanks so much for the show,” he sneered, wiping at his mouth again.

”Glad you enjoyed it,” he replied, bowing his head.

Tyler took a step towards him. He let his gaze travel over him. He had always been beautiful but now there was something else. There was this intoxicating s.e.xuality about him that was so intense it made Tyler feel light headed.

”It comes with the territory,” he said deeply.

”What does?” Tyler blinked.

”Intoxicating s.e.xuality,” he murmured.

”You...how did you...? You can read my thoughts?”

He nodded.

”Then it's true, you are a...?”

”Vampire,” he whispered, his gaze settling on the blood that was sitting on Tyler's swollen lip.

Dino leaned down and picked up his tee-s.h.i.+rt and jacket. The song, ”Let me get into your skin,” began to pump out of the speakers. The dance floor filled with people.

Tyler's gaze followed him as he silently brushed past him and moved across the room. Oh no, he wasn't getting off that easy.

He bounded off the stage and followed him. The relief from the music seemed almost painful when he reached the outdoors. For a second, he thought he was gone, but then he saw him, leaning against the wall of an adjoining building.

They stood just a few feet from each other.

Dino had put on his tee-s.h.i.+rt. He held his jacket in his hand, squeezing the material in his fist.

”You tried to kill me the other night,” Tyler managed, not able to take his eyes off of him.

He lifted an eyebrow. ”If I had wanted to kill you, you'd be dead.”

”You were in my room,” Tyler accused.

”You wish,” he scoffed.

”Stop being such a smart a.s.s,” Tyler snapped. ”I guess I should know.”

”I thought about it...” he sighed, his handsome face half hidden in the shadows.

”You did more than just think about it. I have the marks to prove it,” Tyler told him, moving aside his sweater to show him.

He didn't seem interested. ”It wasn't me.”

”Then who was it then? Are you trying to tell me that there are still vampires in Ruby City?” Tyler demanded.

”I am the only vampire in Ruby City,” he told him.

There was a silence.

”I was going to kill you,” he told him without emotion, ”but I think there might be better ways to punish you.”

”Killing me softly, like you did tonight?” Tyler looked down at the ground.

”Um, did I succeed?”

”What do you think, Bryce?” Tyler asked bitterly.

”Dino. Bryce is gone,” he quipped.

Tyler shook his head. ”Bryce is part of you.”

”What do you know about it?” he growled. ”Do you know what it feels like to be me?” ”No,” Tyler said softly, ”but I see the same man, somewhat altered but...” Tyler threw up his hands. ”You're right; I have no idea what I'm talking about. All I know is that Thor believes I was some kind of mistake that kept you from your destiny. He doesn't believe in our eternal love.”

”Well, apparently you and Thor have something in common then,” he said, his deep voice as cold as ice.

Tyler gasped as he saw his eyes glow red for a second in the darkness.

”Scared?” he asked, taking a step closer.

He could see him now, and all he felt was love and desire. He wanted to touch him, even if it meant it might be the last thing he ever touched. Tyler shook his head. ”No. I'm not afraid of you. You need to hear me, Bryce.”

”Dino,” he replied softly. ”When you left me on that planet, you left Bryce behind. You left me to the mercy of those creatures and they took my life. They made me this,” he hissed. ”You made me this.”

”No,” Tyler shook his head, tears in his eyes. ”I had no choice but to leave you. Thor said you were one of them already, that you couldn't leave the planet. I never betrayed you, my love. I...”

”My love?” he mocked, raising an eyebrow. Then he uttered a cruel laugh. ”When that p.r.i.c.k had me in his grasp, you were there, you and Ethan. You told me you loved Ethan, you told me you...”

”I thought I could save you,” Tyler cried out. ”Ethan made me say that. If I hadn't gone along with him, he was going to kill us both. Surely you don't believe that I would have chosen Ethan over you...especially not after what we'd shared the night we were captured?”

”Don't even speak of that,” he said between clenched teeth. He paused for a moment, than in a motion not even visible to the human eye, he lunged for him.

Tyler felt himself in his iron clad grip. His breathing grew shallow as Dino pressed his hard body close to him, one hand held him around the throat. He saw his jaw open, saw the pointed tips of his fangs emerge. It was the most erotic and terrifying thing he'd ever seen in his life.

”If you're going to kill me, then do it.” Tyler looked up into his eyes, which were glowing faintly in the moonlight. ”But I have always loved you, whatever name I have called you by. And I will continue to love you, in life, or in death. If you can look at me now, and not know this, then you have never truly loved me.”

He was shaking. The tears were running down his face.

Dino met his eyes. Then he leaned his face forward and gently licked the blood off his lip. The wound began to heal. He hesitated a moment, then stepped back.