Kiss Me Deadly - 3. Chapter 3

John 6:53 “If you do not eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you.”

* * * *

The next evening Jude arrived and picked up Matt. Soon they were at Jude’s apartment. They spent the evening playing pool and Matt won as many games as he lost. Later they ended up on the couch watching TV.

Jude had an arm around Matt and Matt had his head against his shoulder. Jude played with Matt’s hair, his fingers running through the waves. He watched as Matt’s eyelids fluttered closed. Jude leaned closer and his lips touched Matt’s, coaxing them to open.

Matt moaned slightly and rested his hand on Jude’s shoulder, trying to bring their bodies closer. Struggling to contain the growl building deep in his chest, Jude’s lips slanted over Matt’s repeatedly, taking what he wanted, what Matt gave so sweetly. Jude’s hand drifted down Matt’s chest to the bottom of this shirt.

“May I?”

“Hmm, yeah. I want to feel your hands on me.”

Jude lifted the shirt and pulled it off so he could caress a small, tight nipple. He kissed Matt again and with a final hard kiss he lifted his head. Trailing little kisses from Matt’s lips he moved down Matt’s chest, heading for the puckered nub.

His lips brushed across Matt’s nipple, watching it harden more. He blew on the nub, the cool air against Matt’s hot skin made Matt shiver. He moaned and shifted his legs to make room for the growing bulge between his legs.

He threaded his hands in Jude’s dark hair. Finally Jude sucked a nipple into his mouth, lavishing attention to it then releasing it to move to the other. As he alternated between Matt’s nipples, little tingles of pleasure shot down to Matt’s cock. Both nipples were red and diamond hard by the time Jude was done.

“Oh, oh that’s good,” Matt moaned.

“Mmm, they are so hard for me,” he whispered. “Do you want more?”

Matt’s hand flattened against Jude’s chest. Matt lurched against his hand when Jude rubbed his groin. Jude kissed Matt again, then stared at him.

“I-I…”

“What? What do you want? Tell me,” Jude said softly.

Matt reached down and grasped Jude’s cock. “I want to taste you.”

“Oh,” Jude said, surprised. “Yes, I’d like that.”

Jude lay back and Matt crawled between his legs pulling Jude’s pants down and releasing his dick. Matt licked the head, tasting him. He was already damp, the head slick from his precum. Rubbing the wet tip against his lips, Matt looked back up into Jude’s eyes. As Jude watched, Matt gradually slipped the head into his mouth.

He tongued the tiny opening at the top of Jude’s shaft as his other hand wrapped around the base of Jude’s shaft, holding it tightly. Matt swallowed his cock, taking it as far into his mouth as he could without gagging. He moaned, and the vibrations shot up Jude’s dick.

Matt bobbed up and down the length of him, sucking gently.

“Matt, stop… Don’t want to come in your mouth.”

Matt sucked harder.

Jude threw his head back, his hips thrusting. “Fuck yes then, take it, take my cum.”

Jude exploded in Matt’s mouth moments later. With a nearly silent growl Jude pushed Matt up. He jerked Matt’s pants down and swallowed him whole. Working frantically he had Matt writhing on the couch in no time and soon his body tightened up and, with a shout, Matt came in Jude’s mouth. Both collapsed on the couch.

“Oh shit, that was unbelievable,” Matt grasped.

“You’re unbelievable. I have never come that hard.”

Matt yawned and Jude took that as his cue to call it a night. As much as he didn’t want Matt to leave, Matt was tired and needed the rest. It never occurred to Jude how out of the ordinary his behavior was.

“Ready to go home?” Jude asked.

“Yeah, I can’t keep my eyes open.”

“Let me get my keys, then.” Jude said. “How about the four of us meet next weekend at the club.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Matt said. “I had a nice time tonight.”

“As did I. I’ll call you tomorrow, but we’ll skip going out. I think you need to rest,”

Jude said as they drove down the darkened street toward Matt’s house.

“Probably, I’m still tired.”

“Then I’ll see you in a few days,” Jude said as they parked in Matt’s driveway.

“Goodnight, Jude,” Matt quickly kissed Jude then hurriedly let himself out of the car.

With a small sideways smile Jude watched his mortal hurry to his front door. “‘Nite, Matt.”

* * * *

Several days later they were at the club again. It was the weekend so they stayed later and both Matt and Ryan felt better. Ryan and Henri made plans to spend the night together again, and Jude offered Henri his car. Henri made a point to tell Matt that Ryan would call him in the morning, earning another smirk from Jude.

“So how are you getting home?” Matt asked as Ryan and Henri left.

“I suppose I could call a cab,” Jude said, hoping that Matt would offer him a ride.

“I can take you home.”

“I would like that, Matt.”

“I guess we could stop by my place on the way to yours for a drink first, if you want.”

“I don’t drink. But I would like to spend some more time with you; the night is young yet.”

Soon they were in Matt’s neighborhood. Matt pulled in the drive and parked.

“Well, maybe we can find something to watch on TV,” Matt said as he walked to the door.

Jude took two steps then froze. There, on the night breeze was the smell of something not quite human. His hackles rose as his eyes scanned the night. Matt was still walking toward the front door unaware Jude stopped behind him. A shifting in the shadows caught Jude’s eye. His body alert, Jude searched the darkness. Menace rolled from the shadows aimed at… him. The smell was more pronounced now, the stench strong.

“Matt.” Jude spoke harshly, the need to protect this human all consuming.

“What?”

Matt unlocked the door, flipped on the porch light. Jude knew that smell, knew it was a… werewolf. Just as Matt turned the creature launched itself. Matt watched in stunned disbelief as something tall rushed Jude, the snarls and growls sending chills through his body. Matt had a quick glimpse of a long snout full of razor sharp teeth, pointed ears and a body covered in dense course hair… a very tall, very large body.

Shaking, his mind threatening to shut down, Matt stood frozen on the porch his eyes trying to see where Jude and that… thing was. Fear grabbed Matt by the throat. Jude was so much smaller than… Matt refused to name what he saw, but his brain helpfully supplied the word.

Werewolf.

The deadly sounds of angry growls surrounded Matt as the figures fought. Jude! Matt’s mind did a three sixty. Jude was rolling around in the yard with that thing. He’d be ripped to shreds right before Matt’s eyes and the thought of that finally got Matt unstuck from his frozen position. He had to do something, no idea what, but something to protect Jude.

“Oh shit!” Matt yelled, and not thinking took a step toward the mass that was fighting on the lawn.

“No!” Jude yelled as he and the werewolf fought.

An unseen force threw Matt back, back into the house. As though a lasso slipped around his waist and jerked him back, Matt’s feet completely left the floor as he flew back into the house. Lying on the floor Matt watched the front door slam shut before his unbelieving eyes.

“That’s… not… possible…” Matt whispered. The door shut on its own…. Completely by itself.

A scream of pain and a maddened howl ripped through the night, bringing Matt to his feet. Silence followed. The painful scream was more frightening than the hideous howls because it was Jude who yelled in pain. This fear that Jude was hurt nearly paralyzed Matt.

“What do I do? What do I do?” Matt took a step toward the door, but froze as the doorknob turned.

Slowly the door opened, again by itself… and there on the porch stood Jude, shirt shredded and spattered with blood.

“Oh thank…” Matt stopped as he took in Jude’s appearance. Jude was covered in blood, but that wasn’t what strangled the words in Matt’s throat. No, it was the awful red eyes that burned with an unholy light and the long fangs that glistened with blood. “No… no, no, no!”

In the blink of an eye Jude stood at the door, but did not enter. Matt stumbled back several steps, surprised by the unnatural speed with which Jude moved. One second he was at the steps of the porch, then he was right in front of Matt. No one could move that fast, it just wasn’t humanly… Matt stopped as one word played on repeat in his mind.

Vampire.

“I will not hurt you, Matt,” Jude said, his words distorted by the fangs. “I give you my word.”

“Your word?” Matt screeched once he finally got enough air in his lungs to speak. “Give me your word? Is that supposed to mean something to me, comfort me when things like you don’t exist! Christ on the cross, his word he says.”

“Don’t,” Jude snarled, bloodlust riding him hard. “Don’t use-don’t speak… Yes, things like me do exist! You’ve seen it with your own eyes. Let me in and I’ll explain all to you.”

“Let you in? Wait, you have to be invited in, right? Are you out of your—”

The sound of breaking glass from the kitchen stopped Matt. Nails clicked on hardwood floors and the stench of an unwashed, dirty animal assailed him. Matt turned slowly to see a giant beast walking on two legs coming down the hall towards him. Low rabid growls came from the werewolf.

Its sharp claws trailed down the walls, leaving long claw marks imbedded in the sheetrock. The thing reached the doorway and stooped down to enter the room. It was the werewolf Jude had been fighting.

“Matt!”

Matt stood frozen watching the werewolf draw nearer.

“Matt!”

“W-w-w-hat?”

“Invite me in!”

The werewolf stopped and howled, its body leaning slightly forward, saliva spewing. It ran at Matt, who stood frozen. With anguishing slowness Jude watched as the werewolf’s claws slashed across Matt’s ribs, tearing into the skin deeply. Pain exploded, robbing Matt of the ability to think as blood dripped from the deep wounds.

“Matt! Let me in, Matt… damn it, Matt, now!”

“Come-come in,” Matt said softly, as he slumped to the floor, hardly able to breathe from the pain.

A strong breeze was the only indication that Jude had permission to enter as he passed Matt. He slammed into the werewolf pushing it away from Matt. The werewolf shifted, grabbed Jude and slammed him into the wall.

With his long claws, he stabbed Jude through the chest, pinning him to the wall. Jude screamed in pain as his hands wrapped around the werewolf's thick arms. A trickle of blood dripped from his mouth and Jude’s head slumped down to rest on his chest. The werewolf howled in victory.

“Oh no, oh please… no,” Matt couldn’t get his body to move. His limbs wouldn’t respond. “Jude… no.”

The werewolf turned its head and snarled at Matt. Its eyes were slitted but Matt could see the promise in them. He was next, if he survived long enough. His blood spread out from where he lay, and Matt could heat his own heartbeat slowing. Then the werewolf’s nose wrinkled and confusion entered its eyes. Turning to look back at Jude, the werewolf’s eyes widened. Jude was awake and grinning maniacally.

“You stupid, mangy… mutt,” Jude growled. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? Wasn’t me not turning to dust a clue? I’m not like other vampires.”

The werewolf actually whimpered and jerked its claws free from Jude’s chest. Matt watched as the four bloody puncture wounds began to heal right in front of his eyes.

“I am Judas, betrayer of Jesus and created by Satan. I am the first, the Master vampire. I cannot be destroyed! And you dare to come near what is mine?”

Jude backhanded the werewolf across the room. It hit the wall, leaving a sizable dent. With a frightened howl, it leapt to its feet, head bobbing left and right, looking for an escape. No longer interested in killing, just escaping, it crashed through the nearest window. Jude took a step after it when another frightened whimper caught his attention.

Matt was sheet white. Jude cussed long and bitterly in his mind; this was not what he wanted. Here was the fear he normally craved and all he wanted to do was comfort Matt, calm him down and reassure him that all was well. He hadn’t made his mind up what to do yet and now he had no choice. Matt was dying. Jude was by him in an instant.

“Judas?” Matt said, staring at the holes that struggled to close in Jude’s chest as darkness descended. “You’re Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, the one who sold Christ out for thirty pieces of silver?”

“Yes.”

“Oh wow… Oh that’s really…” Matt strained in Jude’s arms as pain blossomed. “Oh shit, Jude, I’m-I’m dying.”

Jude didn’t bother to contradict him. He nodded.

“I don’t know what’s more bizarre. Dying, or doing it in the arms of Judas. N-not long now. I’m s-s-sorry, Jude. I think I-I could have loved you.” Shivers racked Matt’s body. “S-so cold. Tell Ryan, tell Ryan to be good, okay?”

“Matt, no! I can’t, oh God help me, I can’t condemn you to this lifeless hell. Please, please Matt, fight. Don’t leave me!”

“Then-then change me. You c-can, right?”

Jude closed his eyes. “Matt, you’ll lose your soul. I can’t, I just can’t do that to you. I can’t turn you into a monster, an undead body that kills to survive.” Jude opened his eyes and looked at Matt. “Forgive me, love. And yes, I love you. And no, I won’t do this.”

A seething fog appeared.

“Don’t be foolish, Judas. Take what is yours. Give him your blood and finish what you started. Take his life and let him walk with you through eternity,” Satan hissed.

“No. I listened to you once – biggest mistake I ever made – and I won’t make the same mistake twice. You used me in your war with God and I let you. The Son of Man didn’t set me up; I foolishly listened to you, you whispering in my ear, and my own greed. No more, Satan. I will not give you this innocent's soul.”

A golden light filled the room and there stood the Son of Man. Jesus wept tears as all three watched Matt’s body shudder as he drew his last breath. Jude’s own bloody tears coursed down his face.

“Good bye, my love,” Jude said quietly then looked at Jesus. “Take good care of his soul. He’s one in a million.”

Satan's bellows echoed around the room. “So be it! You could have had a mate, one to walk with you. Now you will be alone for the rest of eternity. I hope your selflessness keeps you warm at night, Judas.”

The floor opened up, the screams of the damned filling the room for a moment, and Satan disappeared.

Jesus placed his hand on Jude’s shoulder. “My friend, I’m glad you’ve finally seen the light. Sometimes redemption isn’t easy.”

Jude watched as Matt’s body faded from sight.

“I can’t even bury him?” Jude asked. The grief in his voice made Jesus hurt for his beloved Apostle.

Jesus shook his head sadly. “But know this, I have faith in you, Judas.”

The soft glow disappeared.

* * * *

Jude needed blood and he needed it now, damn it. The wounds weren’t closing like they should. With nowhere else to turn, he called Henri.

“I hate to bother you at what I’m sure is an inopportune time, but I need you.”

“What’s wrong?” Henri asked.

“Can Ryan hear you?”

“Yes.”

“Matt and I were attacked by a werewolf. I’ve lost a lot of blood and—”

“I understand. I’ll be there shortly.”

Once that short conversation was done, Jude walked to the other side of the room and peered out the floor to ceiling windows, waiting. His chest was vise tight and his vision kept blurring. Jude wiped his hand across his eyes only to come away with smears of blood from the tears he had no idea he was shedding.

His throat was sandpaper dry and he assumed it was because he needed blood, but the ache in his chest denied that. If his heart still beat Jude was sure it would be breaking now, as corny as that sounded. He had no reason to breathe but the need to draw great gulping breaths of air consumed him.

He wanted to scream, curse and plant his fist through the windows. His head rang with pressure and the desire to pound something into dust. Grief such as he felt at this moment consumed him at only one other time, for the loss of only one other soul, and while he felt responsible for the loss of both men, losing Matt actually hurt worse.

Jude closed his eyes. As before he would have an eternity to deal with this endless need to cry his pain to the universe. The only difference was that this time he didn’t regret his choice, but that was little comfort now.

“Guess you got the last laugh after all, you bastard,” Jude mumbled as he opened his eyes.

Jude felt the shift in atmosphere and knew Henri arrived. A moment later Henri opened the door and came in.

“How bad?”

“Well, I’m not going to die.”

“Lovely, now you have a sense of humor?” Henri said, as he rolled up his sleeve, baring his wrist. “Try to go easy, my friend.”

“Make sure to stop me if you get lightheaded; I don’t need much.”

Henri sat down next to Jude and offered his wrist. Jude wrapped his hand around Henri’s wrist and nuzzled the cool skin. His fangs extended and Jude bit down, the strike swift and sure.

A burst of pain then pleasure raced up Henri’s arm. But this time the pleasure was different. It was a nice feeling, but not like before. Henri didn’t feel himself growing hard and Jude didn’t seem to be lost in a sexual haze.

The gentle pulls on his wrist didn’t excite Henri like all the other times Jude fed from him. Was this because they both found a mate? Whatever the reason, the sexual intensity was now missing. Jude finally licked the wound closed and lifted his head.

“Feel better?” Henri asked.

“Yes, and thank you,” Jude said. “It felt different, didn’t it?”

“I was thinking the same. The bite didn’t affect me sexually.”

“Me, either. Wonder why this time was different.”

“If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it is because we found our mates.” Henri looked around. “And speaking of such… Where’s Matt?”

“Gone.” Jude turned back to the window and stared into the night.

“Jude, gone where?”

“Heaven, I assume.”

“What?”

Jude quickly explained what happened and that Matt was dead… a true death.

“Oh Jude, I’m so, so sorry, my friend. I don’t know what to say to help you. I can’t begin to understand what it is you feel.” Henri wrapped his arms around Jude.

“That’s the funny thing in all this. I finally found love, only to lose it. It was the right choice, but damn it Henri, it hurts.” Jude leaned his head back against Henri’s shoulder. “I didn’t think I was capable of feeling this kind of pain. I guess I am.”

“So, Jesus showed up, too?”

“All three of us together, just like before. But this time I made the right choice.”

“Ryan will question Matt’s disappearance, Jude.”

“I know.”

“So…?”

Jude sighed and turned to looked at Henri. “You’ll have to take him. We can’t have him causing trouble. As far as anyone else is concerned, Matt just disappeared one day. It happens.”

“I can’t believe this,” Henri said. “I honestly thought these two were our mates and would be with us forever. I-I… I’m here for you, always. And Ryan will be, too.”

“I know. Take these keys and take Ryan to the apartment by the docks, you know the one. Turn him, but do it with love and care. Once it’s done we have things to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have a big mess to clean up, and you and Ryan are going to help.”

“Merde.”

* * * *

For the next year Jude, Henri and Ryan hunted down the deadliest vampires Jude created: the ones who killed the innocent, the children and religious figures. Those who remained were informed they could still hunt as long as they targeted the killers in human society. If nothing else were available they would have to learn to survive on bagged blood.

The world being what it was, not many had to resort to that very often. Ryan was changed and settled into his new lifestyle well. Jude told him what happened. Ryan grieved for his friend, but he grieved for Jude as well.

The Master Vampire was still deadly and took his new role in life seriously. He also cut himself off. Unless he was needed to deal with a rogue he stayed in his apartment, listening to music or staring out over the ocean into the night. Not even Henri could drag Jude out. All Jude wanted was to be left alone. He hurt continuously.

“Jude? It’s us. Where are you, my friend?”

Jude closed his eyes and strove for patience. Why couldn’t Ryan and Henri just leave him be? “Here, by the window in the den. I’m not really in the mood for—”

“Yes, yes, I know. You’re never in the mood for company.”

“Then why are you here? Is there a problem?”

“Oh no. We have a surprise for you, though.”

“I’m not interested, Henri. I just want—”

“Bet I could change your mind.”

Jude stiffened. That voice, that voice haunted his sleep. Desire for his lost lover was a constant want that was never met. Jude spent endless nights trying to bring his body to the brink of pleasure only to end up with bloody streaks on his cheeks from the tears as he came. He yearned for his mate, his love. Jude turned slowly from the window, from looking at the water of the ocean right outside his window.

“Matt?”

Henri and Ryan stepped to the side as Matt walked to Jude. Neither heard the pair as they quietly let themselves out.

Jude stood rooted to the floor unable to believe what he was seeing.

“It’s me. I’m real. I live and breathe. And I’ve come back, with Jesus’s consent, to you.”

“But-but… how? Why would he... I thought you were… What does this…?”

“Jude, I need you, need you to touch me, please. You’re way too far… Damn!”

Jude was beside Matt before he could finish. He wrapped his arms around Matt, squeezing him and was stunned to feel a solid body… a warm, alive, human body.

“Tell me what changed!”

Matt laughed. “Well, several things. I bugged Jesus to come back to you until he thought his ears were going to bleed, and – this is the main reason – you changed. You no longer followed Satan. And yeah, dude wasn’t real happy with that, but oh well.”

“No, no he isn’t happy with me.”

“Understatement much?” Matt grinned from Jude’s arms. “But the most important reason was that you made the ultimate sacrifice for me. You chose what was best for me… not you. You said ‘oh God help me.’ Jude, you finally asked the Lord for help. That’s all it took for forgiveness. He loves you, no matter what you’ve done in the past. And so do I.”

“I’ve made my peace with God, yes, and… wait, what? What did you say?

“I love you.”

“You love me?”

“And you love me,” Matt grinned.

Jude raised an eyebrow. “Sure of that, are you?”

“You betcha. Heard it from your mouth, remember? What you didn’t know was that I could see you, too. All this time I could see and hear you. And I longed for you every minute of every day. We didn’t have much time before I died, but one thing became clear to me.”

“What was that?”

“I was meant to be yours.”

“So, what does this mean, Matt? I’m still a vampire and you’re still human. You will die and I won’t. I won’t go through that again. I can’t.”

“It’s simple. You turn me.”

“No! I will not destroy your soul. We’ve been through this.”

“Yeah well, here’s the thing. Satan lied. Big shock there. You have a soul, Jude. All vampires do. Just like humans, that soul can be black, twisted and evil. Yours may be dark, but you have until the Second Coming to redeem yourself. Jesus says you’ve made a nice start.”

“I’m not damned? Henri and Ryan aren’t damned?”

“No, my mate, and neither will I be. Jude, please, give me your deadly kiss.”

“What-what did you call me?”

“My mate. And that, by God, is what you are. So, what are you waiting on? Mate me.”

“Thank you God!” Jude yelled as he picked Matt up. “Then, I give you life eternal. The power of the storm, the shifting shadows of the night and an everlasting love. Walk with me and be my loving mate, forever.”

Jude carried Matt to the bedroom.

End of series one.