Picky Eater

Ch 26: I want you to bite me.

"Ben." Nino shook his head, pulling away from him. He was always pulling away from him. "I don't like the trade of us feeling better at your expense. I don't want you to get hurt because of us."

"It's for you," Ben pleaded, finding it difficult not to yell. "Not because of you. I'm desperate here. Let me do this. It's all I'm good for."

"That's not true."

"Nino," Ben insisted and grabbed his face. He felt too warm, like he was sick with a fever. "We're not having this argument. You and I both know it's our only option."

Nino still hesitated. He wouldn't say it, so Ben had to do it. The more he spoke up, the easier it became, the more comfortable Ben felt speaking his mind. "If you bite me, it doesn't mean I think the only thing between us is a vampire and a human. If you bite me, I won't think you're using me. If you bite me, I'm not scared of you. I couldn't be." Ben put on a smile, praying this was getting through. That he was finally moving him. "Not when I'm your favorite taste. Not when I know you take the best care of me."

Nino still paused and in this dark room, Ben just had to count on this vampire being able to see his sincerity. Sighing, Ben stood up and declared, "If you don't bite me, I'll just have to find something to gash my arm-"

Wincing, Nino snatched his wrist. "That's not funny."

"I'm not joking."

Nino shook his head. He held Ben's wrists, tugging him so gently to bring him back down. Ben met his eyes, and he could see all the cogs in his brain whizzing and whirling. It seemed manic in there, a stark contrast to the silence between them.

"What? Tell me what you're thinking," Ben tried coaxing him. "What you're really thinking."

"You're doing too much for a house."

Ben shook his head. "It stopped being about a house a long time ago." Nino's hands still holding his wrists, Ben touched Nino's face, cupping this look of disbelief and awe. Ben told him with his full chest, "I wanted to do this for you. To be able to help the people I love the most in the world is all I want to do. I don't regret anything. I'll never regret a single thing I do for you. Ever. Even if you tell me you never want to see me, even if one day you hate me, I'll never regret saving your life. Ever."

"I don't deserve you," Nino said.

"It's not about that. It's about what I want. Now, I want you to bite me."

There was something at the very edge of Nino's tongue. There were a few words he was battling himself on whether to say or not, but he shook his head and took a deep breath. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Ben tensed. "Yes."

A sharp pain cut through Ben's neck and back like a quick tug. Then, the familiar warmth poured in and Ben was swimming in a cloudy haze of warm honey and sugar. It was so sweet, he burned the tip of his tongue. Ben gasped, shaken and his knees buckled. Nino wrapped an arm around his back, keeping him stable and Ben clung to him, pressing his face against Nino's skin.

Ben tapped Nino's shoulder, tapping out, remembering Evie still needed to feed and if he was getting light-headed now, he didn't look forward to a few minutes from now.

Nino used his strength to let go and detached, licking up the wound and making Ben tremble. Ben let out a labored breath.

"Evie, your turn," Ben said and offered his arm.

Evie shook her head. "I don't like it."

"Well, I won't let you hurt me."

"You won't need much," Nino said in his normal voice and Ben thought he might weep from the sound. He was going to be alright. His words were so sweet as Nino coaxed her, "Just enough to feel better, okay?"