Chasing the Shadows - 1. Chapter 1

Shade chased the outlaw Vampire, known as Garrett McQuinn, through the crowded streets as they dodged little old ladies and sidestepped around newspaper stands. Shit, he really hated the city!

Why did Vamps always flock to the freaking cities? He picked up his pace and ran even faster, stretching his muscular legs and maneuvering through the growing masses of Humans.

People shouted. A dog barked. Somewhere in the confusion, a car horn blared, but Garrett didn’t stop, so neither did Shade. Sparkles of light, from the millions of electric bulbs lining the city streets, reflected off glass and metal.

The fall evening air had a slight nip to it, yet that didn’t keep these crazy city people at home and the next block looked even more crowded than the last one. Shade groaned. He knew that if he didn’t catch Garrett real soon, he was going to disappear into the growing swarm of Humans.

Contemplating changing in mid-stride, Shade glanced around the busy sidewalk. It was a myth that Shadow Chasers couldn’t change in the presence of any light. He could vanish into a thick cloud of black shadows, right now, if he really wanted to change. Commanding the darkness was in his blood. He could, but there were too many curious eyes watching him run through this city like a mad man.

Direct sunlight, on the other hand, would make it impossible for him to change. The sun trapped him in Human form, but here, under the dim twinkling lights of the city night, he could change and snatch up that murderous Vampire before he even reached the next block.

He contemplated it, but he would have a lot of explaining to do, if he did. Not to mention that he would seriously piss off the Queen.

Shade should have been faster than the Vamp. He should have caught him by now, he should have, but Garrett picked up his pace and widened the space between the two of them. Damn it!

The outlaw reached the next corner before him. The guy glanced over his shoulder and actually winked at Shade before disappearing into the darkness.

That was it! Shade had enough of this cat-and-mouse game.

Rushing into the empty alleyway a few steps behind McQuinn, Shade commanded every shadow to him. The darkness gave him an advantage. He loved the feel of the shadows pulsing through his veins. He rushed forward, engulfing the Vampire in an ominous black mist, catching him from behind.

The tackle was hard. They both tumbled down onto the damp and dirty pavement that smelled like rotting trash and urine.

“Give it up, Garrett. You’re under arrest by order of the Queen--” Shade shouted, but before he could finish taking the Vamp into custody, Garrett jumped up and swung around connecting his fist with Shade’s square jaw, reeling his head back.

Strands of silky black hair escaped from the leather tie securing the rest of Shade’s long dark locks to the nape of his neck. In Human form, Shade could feel pain. His lip split open when Garret’s punch connected with his sharp teeth. Garrett stared at the heavy drops of sweet red blood lingering at the edge of Shade’s busted lip.

Desire flashed through the Vamp’s eyes as an evil smirk twisted Shade’s red lips into a snarl. “Oh, you shouldn’t have done that!”

Before Shade could land his own punch, Garrett leaped out of the way, lunging at the solid brick wall beside them. With a slight run, the Vamp’s feet landed on the bricks as he performed a perfect back-flip.

Wow! The man moved with incredible grace. All Vampires have unbelievable super-speed, but Garrett had an added elegance unlike anything Shade had ever seen before. Long lean muscles flexed under his tight white t-shirt and his faded well-worn denim clung to his glorious bubble butt.

Shade shook his head in amazement.

Too bad this guy was a wanted man, because good god his ass was hot! Garrett gave Shade a cocky, lopsided grin…showoff!

Shade was a walking arsenal of supernatural weapons. If it killed monsters, then Shade had it. Pulling a dagger free from the leather sheath strapped to his muscular thigh and a long slender wooden spike from his belt, it was now Shade’s turn to give Garrett a playful grin.

The Vampire was suddenly finished playing around. He lunged to the right, but Shade was faster. The Shadow Chaser circled him and shoved him off balance, forcing him to take a step backwards. Garrett growled and bared his fangs, bringing a laugh to Shade’s bloody lips.

Vampires might have two long pointy incisors, but Shadow Chasers have an entire mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Shade’s four front teeth were deceivingly blunt, but all his others were perfect interlocking fangs. They fit together making a beautiful, deadly smile.

Garrett franticly glanced around the dark alley, desperate for an escape, but there was no way out. The outlaw was hopelessly trapped. With no other options, he suddenly charged at Shade.

However, the blitz attack didn’t faze the Shadow Chaser for a second. Shade wielded his knife when Garrett sprang forward and sliced open the man’s brawny bicep. The Vamp stumbled as blood spilled down his muscular arm and splashed onto the dirty pavement below. An unfamiliar scent filled the alleyway.

The first blow gashed Garrett’s cold flesh, but the second one missed him completely, as the graceful man tucked and rolled out of the way. The Vampire kicked the wooden spike out of the Shadow Chaser’s hand, as he dodged the deadly dagger.

Shade waggled his perfect black eyebrows at the Vamp. Shade was really enjoying himself, but the game was now over, because it was time to get back to work.

Disappearing into the shadows, Garrett’s honey-brown eyes opened wide in fear. Darkness swirled around the Vampire’s hard muscled body. He tried to jump out of the pitch black circle, but he was slammed against the wall before he could flee. His head bounced off the bricks. He gasped in pain as Shade materialized in front of him.

Their heaving chests pressed together. Garrett was sporting a thick boner that pressed into Shade’s crotch as the lawman leaned in closer to him. What a shame that the sexy Vamp was an outlaw.

Shade’s cock twitched when his strong hands wrapped around Garrett’s creamy white neck. He pressed the sharp point of his dagger against the tender flesh along the Vamp’s hard jaw line.

“Doesn’t feel so good, now, does it?” Shade growled against his ear and pressed the metal tip further into his flesh, bringing a thick drop of blood to the surface.

The tall men stood eye to eye. Garrett was shocked by Shade’s inky black eyes. They were so dark that he couldn’t tell where the iris ended and the pupil began.

Garrett shook his head, spilling chestnut-brown locks across his forehead. “Lucky for us, Night Stalker, we both heal really, really fast.”

Shade wasn’t going to let this cocky Vampire provoke him. He tucked his knife back into the sheath and pulled a pair of special handcuffs from his waistband. Shade cautiously twisted Garrett’s injured arm towards the center of his back. The Vampire hissed with pain.

“Garrett McQuinn, you have been sentenced by the Queen--” Shade was interrupted.

Surprise flashed through Garrett’s sexy brown eyes. “This is a mistake--” He gasped.

The Shadow Chaser brought up the cuffs just as Garrett leaped forward, breaking Shade’s grip on his arm. The Vamp whirled around and dashed towards the opening of the alleyway. Shade stumbled a few steps, before regaining his balance, and chasing after him.

Garrett reached the busy sidewalk just seconds before Shade, but apparently that was all the time he needed to vanish into the large crowd.

*** 

“Shit!” Shade shouted as he desperately looked from left to right and back left again, but his prisoner was nowhere to be found. Both of them stood over six feet tall and Shade could easily see overtop of most of the Humans still milling about the busy sidewalks. Garrett should have been easy to find in this crowd, but nope! Garrett was gone!

There wasn’t even evidence of which direction the Vamp had headed. There were no open pockets in the crowd, no spots where people had sidestepped around a tall, crazy Vampire fleeing into the night.

No one looked angry or upset that they had just been shoved out of Garrett’s way…he was just gone…vanished…poof!

Shade ran his fingers over his face, pushing back any hair that had slipped free from his long black ponytail, when his rage suddenly boiled over. “GOD-DAMN-SON-OF-A-BITCH-MOTHERFUCKING-COCK-SUCKER!!!” Shade swore a long string of profanity into the night, scaring a little old couple casually strolling by.

The gray haired man grabbed his wife and pulled her to his side while she instinctively clutched her handbag to her chest. They both gave Shade disapproving scowls as they rushed past him.

“Excuse me,” he sheepishly grumbled at the old couple, running away from him, before turning and rushing in the opposite direction.

Now that Garrett knew the Queen was closing in on him, that his murderous thirst hadn’t gone unnoticed, the outlaw was going to flee.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Shade muttered again. It had taken him days to track down Garrett in the first place and now he was going to have to start all over again.

Contemplating his next move, Shade’s pocket began to vibrate. He closed his dark eyes and took a steady breath. BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! His cell phone impatiently demanding his attention.

“Not now,” he said while jamming his hand into his front pocket. “I can’t believe this is happening!” He didn’t have to look at the cell phone screen to know who was calling. The Queen’s senses must have been tingling, as if just merely thinking about the Vampire Leader brought her attention to him. Attention that Shade really didn’t want right now. He was too angry to talk to her.

He shoved the phone back in his pocket and ignored the annoying buzz. She would have to leave him a message, because right now he had a renegade Vampire to catch.

*** 

Searching the busy streets was useless. It did absolutely no good. Garrett McQuinn was nowhere to be found. The gash across Garrett’s arm was deep, but it would quickly heal on its own, still he would need more blood to replace what he’d lost tonight.

Shade was sure that McQuinn would feed again before he fled the city, so he checked out all of the usual Vampire haunts.

City Vamps were notorious for feeding in crowded restaurants, jammed sports venues, and rowdy music concerts, but after checking dozens of places, none of them held the Vamp he was looking for. The crowds grew thinner the lighter the sky became.

The night was almost over. If Shade wanted to find Garrett during the day, he would have to continue searching in Human form. Who knows, he might be lucky enough to come across Garrett’s hidden lair.

Finding a sleeping Vamp was always tempting, especially such a gorgeous outlawed as Garrett McQuinn. Oh, the things that Shade could do to that tight muscled body while the brunette beauty slept. Shade shook his dark head, pushing those thoughts from his mind.

He needed to concentrate on work…not sexy sleeping Vampires. He could search in the daylight, but instead, he decided to find a nice warm place to rest for the day and would continue his hunt again at nightfall. The Shadow Chaser smiled. For some reason, the darkness always wins.

*** 

Shade woke before the sun had completely set. Unlike many other creatures of the night, he was capable of walking freely during the daytime.

Sunlight made him weaker and more vulnerable, but it had to be done. Shade had to get a head start on Garrett. He needed to find fresh hunting grounds before all of the city Vamps had fed for the night and gone about their usual business.

If Vampires were anything, they were very predictable. Every night they always woke up from their death sleep with a ravenous hunger for blood. If Garrett hadn’t fled the city yet, this would probably be Shade’s last chance to catch him.

*** 

Hanging back in the shadows, Shade peered through the darkness as several Vamps entered the city park. It was dark and secluded, making it the perfect place for hunting Humans, but unfortunately, Garrett McQuinn wasn’t among them. At first only two or three appeared near the edge of the park, but within a few minutes a small group had formed.

Shade groaned at the thought of dinner time in the Vampire community. It was a natural order of the universe with every species…eat or be eaten. Shade wasn’t a vegetarian, not by a long shot. He was a born hunter and had killed his own meals for hundreds of years, but his meals don’t walk and talk or get up and stroll away after you’ve just feed on them.

The thought disturbed him, yet somehow, it also intrigued him at the same time, but none of that stopped Shade from watching the Vampires prowling through the night.

He remained hidden in the trees while they searched the area like monsters stealing the innocence. With this many Blood Suckers hunting in one spot, maybe there was still hope that, eventually, Garrett might show up too.

One by one, they broke away from the group. The first Vamp spotted a young female jogger and hurried to run in step behind her. When the path disappeared into the tree line, that’s when the he suddenly pounced. Grabbing the girl from behind, the Vamp sank his fangs into her slim neck.

She gasped in surprise, but the Vampire quickly wrapped his arms around her and pressed her against a nearby tree. To anyone passing by, they simply looked liked lovers making-out in the park.

It should disturb Shade more than it did, watching them feed on Humans like wild animals, but it didn’t. It really was just a natural link in the food chain. The girl moaned as her body was flooded with endorphins. The Vampire pressed his erection to the crack of her jogging-suit-clad-ass, grinding his hips as he finished up his dinner.

The guy shuddered when her fresh warm blood shot through his cold veins, quenching his overwhelming thirst. The Vamp drank until he was full, then he simply released her from his grasp. Without looking back at her attacker, the young girl straightened up and continued on her jog, like nothing had ever happened.

Regardless of whether or not that he actually liked Vampires, Shade had to admit that it was still fucking amazing to watch! Vampire mind control was so incredibly powerful, how they could just slip into any Human’s mind erasing all memories of their encounter? Too bad they also forgot about the wonderful memories of the orgasmic-like hormones flooding through their fragile body after the savage bite.

Physically the awesome feeling was still there, except their ‘dinner’ didn’t know where the wonder feelings suddenly came from.

Only the few Humans that Vamps took as lovers, or worse yet, the ones who became feeders, got to keep their memories of the savage bite, or at least they did until the relationship had ran its course.

With his body zinging from a fresh blood-high, the guy never noticed Shade perching in the upper limbs of a huge oak tree, watching the dark park below. The other Vamp attacks were over just as fast. Satisfied and ready for the night, one by one, they headed back into the city.

However, Garrett never showed up. When it looked like the last Vamp had gone on his way, Shade got ready to leap from the upper branches, when a fast movement caught his eyes.

The Vamp straggler rushed through the night before suddenly stopping. He crouched down and hesitated at the edge of the tree line. He was small, much smaller than Garrett McQuinn. Shade knew right away that it wasn’t the outlaw that he was hunting, but that didn’t stop him from hanging around to watch the intriguing little newcomer.

Soft footsteps broke the silence. A young man appeared along the wooden path, running through the night. The Vamp hissed and hunched down, waiting for the man to move closer as his eyes darted nervously around the park.

Shade thought about swooping in and grabbing him, but he couldn’t, his orders were very clear. His job was to bring Garrett McQuinn back to the Queen. Shade was not allowed to interfere with normal Vampire life. This guy might be an odd little duck, but he hadn’t committed a crime…well, not yet at least…but, the night was still early.

When the man was within pouncing distance, the Vamp sprung out of the trees and grabbed the guy by the throat. “You are not afraid,” he snarled at the young man.

“Not afraid,” the young man replied standing frozen, rigid, and unable to move. His eyes suddenly glazed over as his jaw fell slack.

A wicked grin curled across the new Vamp’s face. “Good!” He said rubbing his hands together, “Now, I think it’s time to have some fun.”

“Have fun.” Blank eyes stared from the young man, fixed straight ahead.

Shade was silent as he watched the new Vampire. He suddenly wondered about the smaller guy. Why hadn’t he hunted with the rest of the group? What was he about to do? The Vampire Court was strict.

Shade could only interfere if this guy actually broke one of the Vampire Laws, but until then, he would have to stick to the shadows and just watch…and wait.

“On your knees.” He suddenly ordered the athletic young man, who was considerably bigger than the Vamp, but with vacant eyes the guy quickly dropped down to the ground. A moment later, the Vamp pulled out his dick and shoved it into the bigger guy’s mouth. “Suck it,” the cocky Vampire growled.

This Human was twice the size of that bossy little Vamp, yet he immediately opened his mouth and obeyed. The guy was kind of clumsy and fumbled with the thick piece of man flesh pressed between his lips. Obviously, he wasn’t a very experienced cocksucker.

Lavishing another man’s flesh was a skill that had to be practiced to get it right. Who knows, maybe this guy had never sucked a dick before in his life. Shade silently wondered about the man on his knees and the Vampire ramming his cock into the guy’s face. The Vamp’s breathing suddenly hitched as he rocked his hips and shuddered with pleasure. The guy must be doing a halfway decent job.

The Vamp tilted his head back and growled between his clenched fangs. He closed his eyes, purring with pleasure as the guy’s head bobbed up and down on his shaft. “Oh, yeah, that’s it. Suck it baby, suck it!”

On the verge of losing it, The Vamp suddenly hooked the guy’s arm and with one hard pull, he had the boy up on his trembling feet. The Vamp grabbed him by the back of his hair and crushed their mouths together in a brutal kiss. His throbbing cock bounced between their hard bodies as he deepened the kiss, tasting his own pre-cum on the guy’s tongue.

Glancing down at his hot cock dripping wet with saliva, “pump it,” the Vampire ordered the guy before returning to his swollen lips. He wrapped his long fingers around the wide base and stroked the cock like it was his own.

The Vamp moaned into his mouth, bucking and thrusting his hips forward into the hand-job that would have to do for now, because he needed the guys face and lips near his. Trailing kisses from the young man’s lips to his square jaw, the Vamp nibbled along his tender skin until he reached the crook of his muscular neck. Their breaths were labored with desire which made the guy pump his cock even harder.

“Yes, oh yes!” The Vamp threw his head back and shouted into the night. His eyes turned red and his fangs slid out when his first shot of cum hit the ground. He shuddered from the force of his orgasm. Sinking his teeth into the creamy white neck, he drank down the boy’s sweet blood while pumping more streams of thick salty cum onto the ground.

He released his grip on the guy’s throat as his ‘dinner’ squeezed every last drop from the Vamp’s thick cock. Waves of after-pleasure calmed the Vampire from his blood induced frenzy.

The guy frowned until the Vamp gave him a red sticky kiss on his swollen lips. “You were absolutely fabulous.” That brought a smile to the young man’s handsome face. The Vamp clapped his hands with delight, thrilled with both performances, first, with his mouth, and then with his hand. “Now,” he said while turning the guy back towards the path he’d been running on. “You are going to go finish that nice long run--”

“Long run,” He repeated after him.

Before the guy continued on his way, the Vamp leaned in and whispered something into the man’s ear that made the guy smile. He nodded his head then disappeared into the night.

*** 

“So…did you enjoy the show, Night Stalker?” The Vamp called out from below.

Shit! The Vampire knew that Shade had been there the entire time. That explains the impromptu sex show. The little fucker was showing off, flaunting his mind control over helpless Humans.

The cocky bastard looked up at Shade and gave him a sneaky little grin, revealing more. Shade growled into the darkness. He’s never had a case go so horribly wrong before. Last night, Garrett McQuinn got away and now tonight, this arrogant Vamp spotted him hiding in the trees.

Leaping from the upper branches, Shade silently landed beside him. Black shadows swirled around them before vanishing into the night. “Let me guess, he’s your feeder?” Shade tipped his head in the direction the guy had run off. Shade should have known. The pang of guilt over watching the guy become dinner disappeared after he realized that the two of them had a pre-arranged agreement.

The Vamp hunted this guy down a couple of times a month, attacking him when he least expected it. It gave the Vamp the thrill of the hunt, plus he could go even farther since the guy was also in on the arrangement. It upped the excitement level for both of them.

“What do you want, Blood Sucker?” Shade stepped closer to the Vampire. He enjoyed looking down on him, trying to intimidate the man. He sized the guy up, the Vamp might be considerably shorter than Shade, but he was in no way thin or scrawny, not by a long shot. Lean muscle was completely compacted over his small sexy frame.

The arrogant Vamp smiled at him. “Me?” He faked a look of innocence. “You’re the pervert hanging in the trees watching people fuck.”

“Cut the crap, Vamp!”

The smaller Vampire actually giggled. It made him look almost childlike. Shade’s cock suddenly twitched. This guy was young. He looked maybe eighteen or nineteen years old, but Shade knew that he had to be older than that when he’d been changed. Not only was he young, but he was incredibly handsome too.

Shade shook his dark head. He didn’t have time for these games. He had a job to do. Before he could turn his focus back to the case, the Vamp reached out and cupped his hand around the thick bulge in Shade’s pants.

“I already got my cock drained tonight, so do you want me to suck you off?” He waggled his eyebrows at Shade. The tightness in Shade’s pants grew as blood continued to rush to his already swollen crotch.

Half temped to take the guy up on his offer, Shade struggled to concentrate on his job. Focus, Shade focus! Shade ordered his mind to obey, however, his body refused to listen. He pushed thoughts of his aching cock out of his mind and concentrated on work.

“Do you know Garrett McQuinn?” Shade carefully watched him for any reaction, but he didn’t try to hide his surprise.

“Yeah man, I know him. It seems that McQuinn is running with a different pack nowadays…if you know what I mean.” With a playful wink, the Vamp squeezed Shade’s swollen dick, then vanished into the dark night. The guy disappeared into a blur before Shade could ask him anything else. One second, the cocky bastard was there fondling his dick and the next he was gone.

“Fuck!” Shade shouted into the night. Forget horny, now he was just plain pissed. Never in his life has he been so off his game!

The only lead to Garrett just disappeared into the darkness and here he was with no prisoner, no leads and left standing with a swollen throbbing cock!

He turned and headed towards the park exit, grumbling into the darkness along the way, “When this case is over, I’m taking a vacation, a very long vacation, far away from all these smartass-bloodsucking Vampires!”