When Darkness Falls Pt. 2 Ch. 09

"Viktor, what are you doing?"

He did look then. He remembered the soul-stealing kisses, the crushing weight of Viktor's body taking everything. The raven-haired vampire jumped off of the ancient sarcophagus he had been sitting on and approached Dorian slowly. Viktor had not changed; he was still the dark, domineering bastard he always had been.

"I'm disappointed in you, Dorian." Viktor reached out and Dorian cowered away from him, sliding into the recess until his back was flat against the cold stone. His brother's stare was colder still.

"I told you before," Viktor continued, lowering his hand. "You belong to me, my flesh and blood. I will not tolerate someone else touching you."

Dorian glared at him. He couldn't fight Viktor. The man was physically stronger, his body still that of the soldier he had once been. While he was not weak, Dorian was never a fighter. His silence was taken as obedience, and before Dorian realized what was happening, Viktor was nude and tugged him out of the recess and onto the floor. He shoved Dorian face down and braced his legs apart, a knee coming to rest tightly against Dorian's body.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Viktor growled low in his ear. Dorian struggled, but it only seemed to spur Viktor on. The knee pressed harder and Dorian cried out in pain. "How I've missed hearing you scream."

"Don't do this, Viktor," Dorian begged. "I forgive you for the past."

A dark laugh from above accompanied the hard jerk on Dorian's arms. His forehead hit the floor and the impact left him dazed, unable to do so much as struggle when he felt rope tighten around his wrists. Then a hand wrapped to his hair, jerking his head back at a painful angle. Blood dripped onto the dirt-dusted, stone floor.

"Don't you fucking get it? I don't want your goddamned forgiveness." Viktor pulled Dorian to his feet, then shoved him face-first over the sarcophagus. "I want your damned soul."

Dorian's face was wet with his tears, his cries anguished and broken. Viktor kicked his feet apart, and every attempt Dorian made to get away was met by a hard slap to his side. Then Viktor froze behind him.

"Get the fuck away from him," a blessedly familiar voice growled.

Within seconds, Viktor was torn away and Dorian crumpled, curling into a pair of strong arms. He knew those arms, that scent. Jordan picked him up gently and Dorian's body was soon devoured by uncontrollable tremors. When he tried to turn his head, Jordan wouldn't let him.

"I can't let you watch, Dorian."

"I need to watch." Dorian turned his head and saw his brother held at knifepoint, his back to Gabriele. Gabriele's fair features held a darker look as he kept the knife lodged beneath Viktor's chin.

Across the room, Lucca's body gave way to a wolf's, the black fur bristling in pure hate. The wolf's lips curled up in a snarl, revealing teeth as sharp as razors. What little color Viktor's face might have had, was quickly lost. The strike was swift. Dorian shuddered hard in Jordan's arms as Lucca's teeth sank into Viktor's throat. With a deep growl, Lucca ripped away and Viktor's desiccated body shook in Gabriele's arms before sliding to the floor. Gabriele was covered in blood and more continued to seep across the floor. Jordan stepped back to avoid the puddle as Lucca shifted back into human form.

Gabriele stepped over Viktor's body just as it began to decay. He pulled off his shirt and draped it over Dorian. "Get him out of here."

Jordan nodded and led the way out of the catacombs. Once back in their bedroom, he placed Dorian gently on the bed, smoothing his hand over Dorian's hair. Dorian curled up around him, needing the contact, the safety. He barely heard Jordan say something to the twins, then the blanket was pulled over them. When the bedroom door closed, Jordan pulled him tighter.

"I'm so sorry," Jordan whispered.

Dorian shook his head. "No, love. Please don't be. If anything, I am grateful. Had it not be for you, the twins would never have found me. They didn't know about the catacombs."

"What can I do to help you?"

"You're doing it," Dorian murmured, his voice muffled as he buried his face against Jordan's neck. "Just being here."

"Then sleep. It's only about three in the afternoon."

"How did Viktor get in?"

Jordan was silent for several minutes, then sighed. "The twins think he might have been here the night before. There's no other way he could've gotten in without nightfall." Dorian nodded. "They also think he had help--Carl."

"That doesn't surprise me." Dorian pulled away to look up at Jordan. "Guess my bad-boy vampire cover's been blown, huh?" Jordan's soft laugh warmed him more than anything else ever could.

"Oh, yeah." Jordan slipped a hand under his chin and kissed him softly. "But if anything, it makes you more human."

Dorian smiled and kissed Jordan again before burrowing against him. The last thing he remembered was Jordan's soft kiss to his hair before sleep took over.