Page 16 of Benicio

David smirked. “I was just about to roll over your unconscious body, but unfortunately, you’re awake.”

“I’m fine.” But Benicio’s arms shook when he tried to push himself off the bed, only to sit back down.

“What exactly is wrong with you?” David moved even closer in case Benicio tried to stand and crumpled instead. The guy didn’t look too stable to David. That was the thing with alpha males. They refused to take a rest when they needed it, declaring they were fine, even though they weren’t.

Perfect example of machismo.

A machismo that was going to land Benicio on his ass if he didn’t stop trying to get up. “And you called me stubborn?” David snorted. “Why don’t you lie back down? We both know you need more rest.”

“Rest isn’t what I need.” When Benicio finally pushed off the bed, his legs buckled. David raced to catch him and forced Benicio to sit back down.

“Getting up isn’t what you need, either.” David was at a loss as to what to do. Sure, he could simply walk away, but he really did feel as if he owed Benicio a debt for saving Deon. If he had to follow behind Benicio with his arms out to catch him whenever Benicio fell, then David would do just that.

“You never answered me,” he reminded Benicio. “What’s wrong with you?”

Benicio glared at him. “You want me to open up and spill my secrets to someone who traffics information?” He scoffed. “You’ll sell my secrets to the highest bidder.”

That…hurt. David looked away. He did deal in information for money, and he had told Benicio about what was going on in the city, so the ancient vampire had every right not to trust him.

But it still hurt.

“Not if you ask me not to,” David said, looking down at his lap. “There are far worse things I could be doing to make money. Like dealing drugs, prostitution, or thievery. It’s hard to find a regular job that doesn’t require me to work during the day. I might sell information for cash, but at least I’m trying to survive in Ridgeway.”

“Your family?”

David chewed his lower lip. “You first.”

“They’re all dead,” Benicio said with a sigh. “I haven’t had family for a very long time.”

Plucking at a loose string on his jeans, David shrugged. “My mom is dead. My brother acts like I don’t exist, and my father…” David ground his teeth. “My father thinks I’m worthless. He hates me for who I am and what I do to survive. He used to make me hand over every dime I made, and when I finally stood up to him, he kicked me out.”

Benicio sat there quietly. David cursed himself for opening up. He never talked about his family. The subject was too painful. So why did he just spill his guts to someone as cold and uncaring as Benicio?

“You’ve had a rough life, little one.”

That was an understatement.

“I manage.” He noticed that Benicio still hadn’t told him what was wrong with him. David wanted to know what could bring an ancient, powerful vampire to his knees. Vampires were immortal. Whatever was wrong with Benicio couldn’t be because he was old. “How old are you?”

“Four thousand and twenty-two.”

Holy shit. Benicio was officially the oldest vampire David had met. He was twice as old as Eleazar, and probably had wicked powers. Still, he wasn’t going to let Benicio treat him like crap, no matter the guy’s age or powers.

When Benicio leaned too far forward, David quicky pressed his hands into the man’s chest and pushed him back. He fell on top of Benicio, but when he tried to scramble away, Benicio curled a strong arm around him.

Before David could register what was going on, Benicio kissed him.

David froze, not sure what to do. He should push Benicio away. He should punch the ancient vampire for being so presumptuous. But he didn’t. Instead, David found himself succumbing to the kiss, his body drawn to Benicio’s like a magnet. The kiss was rough, with Benicio’s fierce tongue exploring every inch of David’s mouth. David moaned and pushed back, their bodies grinding together.

It was wrong. So, so wrong. And then David wondered, why? He wasn’t sure what had happened, but something in him wanted this, wanted Benicio’s strong arms around him, wanted to feel that fierce kiss again and again. He didn’t know what it meant. He didn’t want to think about it too much.

When Benicio finally pulled away, David was panting, his head spinning. The room felt too hot, too small, too everything. He looked at Benicio, who was still holding him close, and saw something in the ancient vampire’s eyes that he couldn’t name. It was like Benicio was seeing him for the first time. Like he finally understood something about David that David didn’t even know himself.

“I want you,” Benicio said roughly, his lips brushing David’s ear. “I need you. Will you submit to me?”

David shivered at the words, his body responding even as his mind rebelled. He had never submitted to anyone. He didn’t know what that meant. But he couldn’t deny that some part of him wanted to, wanted to do whatever Benicio commanded. And yet...

“I can’t.”

---