Forever Young

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

The forty-seven minutes between the time Richard had called his friend and the moment he finally arrived at their home seemed longer to Colt than the hundred sixty plus years of his existence. The unbearable burden of knowing he was responsible for the situation rested heavy on his shoulders, and he didn’t know if he’d be able to go on if Robbie didn’t somehow survive.

Over the years, Colt had devoured hundreds of victims. He had seared his conscious long ago and felt nothing for the prey he fed upon, yet somehow this situation was so different. The connection he and Robbie had made transcended his primal desires, or at least he’d thought this to be the case.

How precious was this little one? For him to lie there, so trusting, so fragile—it broke Colt’s heart. And when he heard the boy assuming blame upon himself, declaring himself weak, the guilt surged again within Colt. Robbie was not the weak one. It was himself. He’d failed. He’d succumbed to the basest of his desires, and now an innocent suffered.

But why? Why this one? Perhaps it was simply a matter of déjà vu. Robbie was so much like James. His demeanor and smile…even his hair…so many characteristics about him harkened Colt back to a time in his early life. Yes, he’d been alive then.

Human.

“Christian! Thank you for coming.” Richard ushered him into the bedroom. “I don’t know how much time we have.”

“How did this happen?”

Colt, now kneeling beside the bed, rose. He turned to face the stranger and realized instantly that he was one of them. He knew by the smell, or lack thereof, and the pale complexion provided further evidence. Christian was tall and slender with shoulder-length blond hair. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, in perfect physical condition, and his eyes pierced through Colt like a dagger.

“It was me,” Colt confessed. “I—”

“You fed from the boy.” It was a declarative statement, void of judgment. “And now?”

“I didn’t mean to.”

Christian turned to Richard. “How old is this one?” Was he referring to Colt or to Robbie?

As Richard shook his head and answered, Colt realized the question was in reference to him. “Still a fledgling, converted during the War Between the States.”

“And you allow him to hunt? Are you trying to bring destruction upon all of us?”

All of us? Who was he talking about?

“Christian, please,” Richard implored him. “I assume full responsibility, but can you please help us? Can you save the boy? There’ll be plenty of time to discuss improprieties and ethics after we’ve saved him.”

Christian glided across the room, his movements graceful and unhurried. He leaned over the bed and took hold of Robbie’s wrist, feeling for a pulse. “He’s but a child. Fourteen or fifteen, perhaps?”

“He’s eighteen,” Colt responded.

“Far too young for conversion. He’ll need a transfusion, then possibly relocation.”

“Relocation?” Colt stared at him, dumbfounded.

“Do whatever you need to do, Christian. Please…” Richard pleaded.

“Colt, in the van is a cooler and bag of medical supplies. Bring them.”

Colt nodded and dashed out of the bedroom, employing his advantage of supernatural speed. Less than a minute later, he was back.

Christian snatched the bag from him, seeming altogether unimpressed. “Get him out of here,” he said to Richard. “He’s done enough damage.”

“No!” Colt protested. “Please, I need to—”

“You need to forget about this boy, and more than that, you better pray he forgets about you. If not, it’s sure to cost him his life as well as that of everyone he cares about.

You can’t just go around attacking people, certainly not those you’ve grown to know in your daily life. What were you thinking? What the hell were you trying to do, unleash the wrath of the—”

“We don’t have time to get into all that now, Christian.” Richard wedged himself between them. “Please administer the transfusion, and I’ll take Colt out of here.”

“No!” Colt objected. “I’m not leaving him.”

“Step back then, fool.” Christian glared at Colt before turning away to set the medical bag on the dresser. “Richard, hand me the cooler before your vampire child decides it’s time for another midnight snack.”

Douchebag!

Colt stood there, in awe, watching as Christian’s movements accelerated. He moved so quickly the naked eye could not detect all he was doing. Within seconds he’d removed a foldable IV stand from his bag and assembled it. Leaning over Robbie’s sleeping body, he grasped his wrist, then turned it over to look for a vein. On the first try, he managed to insert the IV needle.

“How do you know you’re giving him the right type of blood?” Colt asked.

Christian turned to him and rolled his eyes, then turned away without answering.

He retrieved a bag of blood from the cooler and hung it from the hook on the IV stand.

“O-negative is the universal blood type,” Richard explained. “Relax. Christian is a doctor. He’s been treating patients for years.”

“Centuries,” Christian corrected. Once the transfusion had begun, Christian stepped away from the bed, motioning for the others to follow him out of the room. In the hallway, he spoke. “Did the boy wake up at all?”

“Yes,” Colt answered. “He has no idea what happened.”

“And what exactly did happen?”

He didn’t want to say it, ashamed of his utter lack of control. Besides, the intimacy that he and Robbie had shared was so personal. “I don’t know exactly. I was fine one minute, then all of a sudden the hunger within me grew so strong I lost control.”

“You’re homosexual?”

“Wh-what’s that got to do with anything?” His anger and defensiveness increased exponentially. What right did this arrogant f**k have to ask such nosy questions?

“We’re all gay, Christian. All three of us,” Richard answered for him.

“I should have assumed.” Christian’s supercilious air was brash and offensive. Colt wanted to throttle him. “In the future, I suggest you mate with your own kind. It’s just too dangerous, especially for a young one like yourself. Fortunately, we should be able to save the boy, but then it’ll be up to you, Richard, to do damage control. Make sure he doesn’t suspect anything, and that there were no witnesses. And most of all, put your protégé here on lockdown.” Was Christian telling Richard to ground him? Then Christian surprised Colt by walking over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

“He’s so beautiful. I’d hate to see any harm come to him.” After all his arrogance and smugness, the man now was flirting with him? Colt wanted to spit in his face.

Christian smiled sweetly, then turned back to Richard. “I’ll check on the patient one last time. He should be fine, though. You did a remarkable job stopping the bleeding and healing his wounds. Make sure to dispose of everything before the boy awakens.”

“Thank you so much for your help, brother.” Richard took Christian into his arms and they embraced.

* * * * *

“Where am I?” Robbie reached up to rub the sleep from his eyes, then pushed himself upright in the bed.

“Hey, you’re awake.” Robbie recognized the voice. It was Colt, and he was lying beside him on the bed.

“Oh my God, what time is it?”

Colt rolled over on his side and looked up at Robbie. “It’s about four in the morning, but don’t worry. I already texted your mother and told her you’d be home by morning.”

“You did? Crap, I’m gonna be in so much trouble!”

The guilty expression on Colt’s face made Robbie immediately regret his reaction.

“I’m sorry, Robbie. It’s just I heard your phone go off, and when I saw it was her calling, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t wake you.”

Robbie was confused, barely aware of what had even happened. He remembered passing out, then waking later in the bed. Nothing made sense, and the dreams he was having were bizarre. Fantasy and reality seemed to collide in his mind, and he couldn’t make sense of anything. “What happened to me?”

“You passed out, and I brought you back here. My father’s friend was here. He’s a doctor, and he gave you some medicine.”

Robbie shifted himself on the mattress, turning to look into Colt’s eyes. “Really?”

Colt nodded. “He said you’ll be fine. You just fainted.”

“Oh my God.” Robbie felt his cheeks grow hot. “On our first date, I fainted?”

Colt chuckled softly. “I suspected all along I was a good kisser, but I never had anyone literally swoon like that.”

“How embarrassing!”

Colt placed a hand on his arm, and as Robbie looked down, he realized he was shirtless. At once he was overcome with modesty. “Where’s my clothes?”

“I’ll get you a new shirt, but I kind of like you just like this.” The sensation of Colt’s fingers against his skin sent a shiver down Robbie’s back as goose pimples emerged on his naked flesh.

“That kinda tickles.” He laughed.

“I hope your mom doesn’t freak too much,” Colt said.

“Oh, she would, but I’m not gonna tell her what really happened. She’ll wanna take me to the hospital.”

Colt squinted at him, nodding. “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea…”

“No,” Robbie shook his head. “I’m fine. I hate when she gets like that. She treats me like a baby.”

“You are her baby,” Colt reminded him. “You’re my baby too.”

Robbie leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “I’m sorry I ruined everything.”

“You didn’t.” Colt gently brushed his fingertips across Robbie’s bangs, sweeping away a lock of his hair. “It was all a ploy on my part. I was trying to get you in bed, and look. It worked.”

Robbie wanted to take him in his arms and continue with what they’d started earlier. Instead, he looked down at his lap shamefully. “If you give me another chance, I’ll try to be a better date.”

“You don’t need another chance. You’re already the perfect date. Tonight I’ll take you to a movie.”

Someone cleared their throat. Robbie looked up.

Standing in the doorway of the bedroom was a middle aged man, perhaps one of Colt’s fathers. He approached the bed. “You’re awake?”

“Robbie, this is my father, Richard.”

Robbie stared up at him, smiling nervously. “Hello, sir. I’m real sorry…”

Richard waved his hand as he approached the bedside. “Don’t be silly. It wasn’t your fault, but I’m glad you’re doing better. How do you feel?”

“Pretty good, I think. Still a little tired.”

“We should get you home,” he said. “Back to your own bed. Your parents are probably worried. I’ll speak to them if you’d like.”

“Uh, no sir. I mean, I appreciate it, but it’s just my mom, and she’ll probably, ya know, freak out a little. I’d rather not tell her I fainted.”

Richard’s creased brow suggested he didn’t quite agree with Robbie’s decision.

“Well, if she needs to talk to me, she can call at any time.”

“Thank you. I guess I really ruined your night. You’re both still awake at four in the morning.”

“We’re night owls anyway,” Richard said with a wink. “Colton, get Robbie some clothes, will you?”