Finding Blood (City Underdark #1)

Feisty

Thank the Goddess for small miracles that Hugo had managed to keep his chest free of scratches (licking it would have been too awkward for Barmond) but his back had not been spared. The vampire got to work, having caught a pace that he deemed efficient enough. His mouth, after a while, became dry, so he took the liberty to steal some water from a bowl nearby. One sniff told him that it was drinkable.

With how repetitive the work was (once he had gotten used to the feel of Hugo against him) he was not realizing that he was falling into a light, hunger-induced trance. He couldn't think of anything but a big gulp of blood. He wouldn't need much, he was not a big eater, but he needed it soon (or so he felt.) Hugo's pulse was slow and strong against his lip, his skin was hot and alive and so, so breakable. Barmond's fangs literally ached.

So was it a surprise that, once he had gotten the last wound on his shoulders done, Barmond remained a few moments more, just to smell? He was weary and hungry, and Hugo's body was so nice and healthy. He tasted so nice too...

Barmond didn't realize that he had opened his mouth to bite until Hugo caught him by the cheek with a thumb in his mouth. The vampire jerked back to reality, hissed loudly as he fell to the side and was immobilized in a headlock by Hugo.

"Did you just try to bite me?" asked the latter, amused.

Barmond hissed back at him. Why was he grinning now? He had almost gotten attacked by a vampire, he shouldn't be happy like that! Barmond hated that goofy smile so much. If he would have had the strength, he would have punched a few of his teeth out a long time ago.

Hugo's eyes flicked to Barmond's mouth and his eyes widened. "Oh... your fangs."

Oh no.

Barmond snapped his lips shut and pressed them tightly together but Hugo, with his strength, parted them easily. If there would have been any blood left in his body Barmond would have gone red in the face while he was examined. This was so rude!

"These must be the cutest fangs I have ever seen on a vampire," said Hugo.

"Shut up! They aren't cute." Barmond hissed for good measure, hissed as strong as he could. "We'll see how cute they are when I tear out your throat with them!"

"That's why you were so silent all of a sudden," continued Hugo. "You didn't want to speak because you didn't want me to see how small they were."

"They are of a perfectly reasonable size!"

"And you are self-conscious about them too. You vampires and your fangs..." Hugo laughed. "Most vampires can't even close their mouth when their fangs are out, yet they are all worried about how big they are."

"Size doesn't matter, it's what you do with it, and if you keep this up you're going to lose a finger."

"Are you threatening me, now, Barmond?" Hugo's voice was dangerously low as he leaned in. "I can bite too, you know."

There was no point arguing with this numb-skull dog, so Barmond decided that he was just going to remain quiet and glare at him. This decision certainly had nothing to do with the fact that Hugo in his werewolf form was terrifying.

"I want to touch them," suddenly said Hugo.

"What?"

"You almost bit me, you were going to let me feel them anyway. Open up."

"No!"

Hugo approached a finger and Barmond tried to bite it. That was the last thing he knew before he was tossed around like a straw in a storm. When he regained his awareness of his surroundings, he was on the floor with Hugo straddling his chest with a large stick in his hands.