Crave - 6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Merrick walked into the Vampire Council Compound, and felt a wave of nostalgia. It was like coming home whenever he walked into this building. With the many years his family traveled around the universe, they had never settled anywhere for very long. This was one place that always had the feel of home, no matter how short the visit.

He turned to Tei and Landin, who were conferring about the list of possible training areas the vampires had given them.

“Sergeant Varallo and I will accompany the Ambassador to the Council chambers. I’ll meet you back here in 10 minutes. We can scout the first location together.”

The males nodded before heading to the security office to have retinal scans taken for their security passes. Merrick had been scanned many years ago, when Jenson first began training him. The other members of his team would be scanned by a member of Council security, who would be waiting for them at the new residence.

When they arrived at the large Council chambers, he ordered Pietro to wait outside the main doors so he could eventually comm Merrick when the meeting was over, and then walked his father to his seat. He informed the older Weir of the plan before leaving him in the company of several other Ambassadors who had come over to congratulate him on his election.

After a few words with Pietro, he returned to the main entrance where Landin and Tei were waiting. The first location they were going to look at was on the compound grounds, so it would be an ideal location, if the actual facilities were acceptable.

They walked down a grassy path through a grove of trees that gave the area some privacy. The lake was not very big, probably only 100 metres across, but it looked deep and the water was clear. Landin made a noise of approval in his throat before looking over at Merrick with a silent request for permission to examine the water more closely. At Merrick’s nod, the small, lean Anphilian started to strip out of his uniform. From the look of surprise on Tei’s face, the unintended strip tease was not what he expected.

After stripping down to a pair of form fitting shorts, Landin looked up at them with a shy smile. “You didn’t think I was going to dive in fully clothed, did you? I put on these swimming shorts before we left the ship. Normally I would swim nude, but I didn’t think anyone would want to see that.”

From the heated look Tei gave the shorter male, at least one person wouldn’t have minded. Merrick stifled a snort. For as long as he had known the big security officer, he’d only thought of four things… his job, eating, sleeping, and fucking... and not necessarily in that order. Landin didn’t seem to notice Tei’s interest as he made his way to the water’s edge.

The two humans stood onshore and watched the Anphilian sink under the surface, and swim in long, sure strokes to the middle of the lake. He disappeared from view in seconds.

“He’s quick.” There was a note of admiration in Tei’s voice as he stared at the last place they saw the smaller male.

“He is,” Merrick nodded. “I recruited him straight out of the academy after seeing his underwater skills.”

“I wouldn’t think you’d have many occasions to need underwater fighters,” the bigger man turned his head slightly.

“You’d be surprised. My mother loves the water. She even convinced my father to have a boat built… a boat that needed oars.”

Tei chuckled. “It must have been quite a sight.”

Merrick laughed. “My poor dad had no idea how to use the damned things. He had to search the archives for vids. After watching them paddle around in circles a few times, Landin ended up swimming underneath the boat and propelling them around the lake.

The other man laughed harder, trying to picture the scene.

After the laughter died down, they stood quietly for several minutes, waiting for the young male to return. Merrick estimated 10 minutes had passed before they saw the surface ripple and Landin’s dark hair break the smooth surface. The male swam quickly to shore. Dripping with water, he grinned and grabbed a towel he’d brought with him from his pack.

“It looks perfect,” he said, quickly drying his hair before moving to his chest. Merrick saw Tei’s eyes follow the towel’s path, and wondered how long it would take before he made a move on the officer. He never noticed Landin

take an interest in anyone sexually, either male or female, and had no idea where the Anphilian’s interests lay. He hoped if anything happened between the two, Tei would remember how young Landin was.

“The lake is deep, and it’s fairly clear right to the bottom. It’ll be ideal for training.” Landin was babbling excitedly as he pulled down his shorts, and after a quick pass with the towel, starting putting on his clothes. He looked up with a curious expression at the sharp intake of breath from the big human in front of him.

Merrick had to admit Landin was what could only be described as beautiful. His features had a slightly androgynous quality, giving him an elven look. His skin was a light green, but shone with a healthy glow and with his big, dark eyes and mop of black hair, he had an innocent quality that made people want to protect him. Merrick had seen the male in combat, however, and was well aware of how deceiving the innocent appearance was. The Anphilian was a fierce fighter, and in his natural water environment he was deadly.

“We’ll need breathers for your officers, Commander Barnaby.” Landin buckled his belt and threw his wet towel and shorts into his pack. “I was told they’re kept in the equipment building by the target practice grounds.”

Merrick smiled, remembering the hours he had spent at target practice with Jenson. He wondered again whether the vampire had received his message, and when he was going to be back on the planet. It wasn’t unusual for Jenson to be out of contact for lengthy periods of time so he wasn’t concerned, but he hoped it wouldn’t be too long of a wait.

They decided to grab something to eat before Tei had to head back to the ship. While walking, they discussed the types of training the ship’s officers should receive. Landin was surprised to find out Tei was planning to join them as well.

“I won’t ask anyone under my command do anything I’m not willing to do myself,” he shrugged.

By the time they reached the common room, Landin’s hands were waving excitedly as he recounted some of the underwater rock formations he planned to make use of.

“You’ll be a great teacher with that enthusiasm,” Merrick said, clapping the young male on the shoulder, and watched a blush creep up the other man’s neck.

After loading their plates, he felt Tei’s hand on the small of his back, guiding him towards a nearby table.

“Do you mind?” The bigger man leaned in and whispered, giving a slight nod in Landin’s direction.

“Not at all,” he replied quietly. “Just remember, he’s only 20.”

Landin’s people matured early, which meant, at 16, he started the academy at an earlier age than most students. Sometimes, even Merrick forgot just how young his recruit actually was. Tei smirked, taking a seat across from his newest interest. Merrick shook his head and sat down, tucking into his meal.

He felt someone watching him and looked up to scan the room, noticing a pair of familiar blue eyes by the door.

“Jenson!”

Excitement coursed through him as he stood, his meal forgotten. He watched a smile form on the vampire’s lips as he strode towards him. Merrick impatiently walked around the table and pulled the man into a tight hug, and felt Jenson’s arms wrap tightly around him in response. He had really missed this man.

They held each other for several seconds before pulling back. With a start, he realized he was taller than Jenson now. He also noticed that the vampire’s eyes had darkened; not quite black, but not their usual blue. Jenson looked flustered, but happy to see him. He smiled internally. His vampire wanted him, even if he was still fighting the attraction after all these years.

“When did you get back?”

“Just this morning,” the deep voice was comforting and familiar. “I didn’t realize you had already arrived. Your ship wasn’t due for another few days.”

“I messaged you to tell you we were ahead of schedule.” Merrick saw a guilty look cross the man’s face. What was that about? Deciding to ignore the look for now, Merrick turned to introduce his companions.

“J, this is Commander Barnaby, the Head of Security for the EAC Starjumper, and Officer Landin Maltoran, one of my team.” He gestured to each man, who nodded in acknowledgement. “Gentlemen, this is Jenson Shey, Envoy for the Vampire Council.”

“Commander Barnaby, Officer Maltoran...,” Jenson shook hands with each man, and after a friendly greeting, they reclaimed their seats, turning their attention to their meals. This gave Merrick a chance to concentrate on Jenson with some measure of privacy.

“Join us?” He pointed to the empty seat across from his as he returned to his chair.

Jenson looked unsure for a moment before he finally sat. Merrick took in the man he hadn’t laid eyes on in over 6 years. He still looked exactly the same… and better than his memories.

“How long are you back on the planet for?” He took a bite of fruit from his plate, and saw Jenson’s eyes flick down to his mouth. The corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked smile as he slowly chewed.

“About two weeks.” Jenson cleared his throat and shifted in his chair. “I’m leading a colonizing mission to Alecteran.”

“I heard about that. I didn’t know negotiations had progressed so far.” He moved his plate aside and leaned his forearms on the table.

“The negotiations have gone quite well. The lead team is going to run tests and scout for locations before any colonists are relocated. They want me there to smooth over any potential issues with the Alecterans.” Jenson leaned forward against the table as well, closing some of the distance between them.

Merrick’s focus was on the man in front of him. The two other males at the table were essentially forgotten. He opened his mouth to ask more about the operation when he felt his communicator buzz in his ear. He pressed a finger to the device, while holding up his other hand to indicate he was receiving a message.

“This is Weir.”

“The meeting is just wrapping up, sir,” he heard the voice crackle through the earpiece.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. We’ll be there in two minutes.” He stood, nodding at Landin to do the same.

“It’s time,” he said to Landin before turning back to Jenson. “The Council meeting has just ended. We have to go.”

He watched Jenson stand and look towards the exit.

“Would you like to join us? I’m sure father would love to see you.” Although he knew his father would be very happy to see the vampire, he just didn’t want Jenson to leave yet.

“Oh yes, I should congratulate him in person on his appointment.”

When they reached the Council chambers, the members were just leaving. Merrick relieved Pietro and sent him off to eat before heading back to the house. Tei said his goodbyes, and with a wink at Landin, promised to contact him very soon. The small smile on the young officer’s face was the only indication he might be aware of the bigger man’s interest.

“Jenson Shey,” Ambassador Weir’s voice called from their right. “It’s good to see you. I thought you were still off-planet.” The older man walked up to the vampire and shook his hand vigorously.

“We only landed this morning, Ambassador,” Jenson gave the older man a warm look. He may be closer to Merrick than any other member of the Weir family, but it was obvious he held the older Weir in high regard.

“None of that Ambassador nonsense. You must come out to the house. Allison will be thrilled to see you.”

The vampire looked sideways at Merrick, and appeared to be having an internal debate before nodding. “I would like that. How is Allison?”

Connor filled in the vampire on some of the trips they had taken over the last few years as they walked out of the building. Merrick and Landin fell into step behind them. Merrick found his eyes dropping to watch the vampire’s ass move and flex as he walked. He scolded himself for forgetting he was on duty, and surveyed the grounds for any potential danger. However, try as he might, his eyes frequently drifted back to the object of his fascination. He heard a quiet chuckle beside him, and turned to see Landin smirking, with a twinkle in his eye.

“Envoy Shey is a good looking man, sir,” the smaller man said with mirth in his voice.

Merrick scowled and looked away. “Pay attention, Officer Maltoran,” he said gruffly.

He thought he heard another chuckle before the young Anphilian turned his attention back to his surroundings.

Their new home was located in a private, gated area of the large compound, reserved for ambassadors and their families. It was a glass and metal structure with curved lines and a clean but beautiful design. Each home in this area was meant to complement each other, with the design of one structure flowing gracefully to the one beside it. There were no transport rovers in the area, so Merrick assumed all of their belongings must have already been moved in.

The door slid open just as they reached it and his mother stepped out, glowing with happiness.

“You’re back, “she beamed at her husband.

“The meeting wasn’t very long,” the man smiled adoringly at his wife, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Did you get everything placed where you wanted it?”

“You should see my kitchen, Connor,” she gushed. Merrick could almost see the list of recipes she wanted to try first as they crossed her mind.

Connor chuckled. “I’m glad you like it, my dear.”

Allison finally noticed everyone else standing around the front stoop. “I’m sorry, where are my manners. Come in everyone. Merrick, Landin, your belonging have been moved to your rooms.”

She turned her attention to the vampire. “Jenson Shey, you never come to see us anymore,” she scolded good-naturedly.

“I’m sorry, Allison,” Jenson gave her a contrite look. “I’ll make sure to visit more often, now that you’re settled in one place.”

Merrick sent Landin to his quarters before following his parents inside. He was not surprised the house was already organized. Allison Weir was nothing if not efficient. After a quick tour of the main floor of the house, Connor Weir followed his wife up to their room, once he had obtained a promise from the vampire that he would stay for dinner. Their departure left Merrick alone with Jenson for the first time since his graduation. Anticipation wound its way up his spine. Unfortunately, he could feel tension radiating from the man beside him. Merrick had no doubt Jenson wanted him, but his sense of duty and honor stood in the way of his ability to see Merrick as a grown man; a potential lover. The younger man knew how conflicted Jenson must be about his feelings. He really had his work cut out for him if he ever wanted to win the man over.

“I have to walk the perimeter to ensure the changes we requested have been made. Would you like to join me?” Merrick asked, hoping to find a way to bring back some of the ease they usually had in each other’s company.

“How very thorough of you,” Jenson smirked.

“Oh, I am always thorough…,” Merrick’s said with a wicked leer, as he waggled his eyebrows. “Very thorough.”

Jenson laughed and rolled his eyes before walking towards the door. “Come on, brat. Let’s see what upgrades you’ve made.”

Merrick barked out a laugh. “Brat?”

“Brat,” the man confirmed, before looking back over his shoulder. His blue eyes glittered with amusement. “Are you coming or not?”

Merrick found Jenson waiting at the edge of the patio with his arms crossed over his muscular chest and an amused expression on his face. His mission to get the man to relax seemed to have been successful. It had been a long time since they’d been able to enjoy each other’s company, as friends. He missed that. He missed their easy camaraderie. The last couple of times they had seen each other, the sexual tension had been almost a live thing between them, and he knew that was spooking Jenson. He still wanted to do wicked things to Jenson’s body, but he also missed the man who was his best friend. His first order of business was getting Jenson to feel comfortable around him again.

“Come on, old man,” he said, laughing as he dodged Jenson’s large hand. “Let’s get this done so I can go off duty.” He smiled as the deep sound of laughter followed behind him.