wow, i'm so sorry. i know its been a seriously long time and i should be ashamed of myself, but i had good reason. my internet is whack and i didn't have access to my computer for the past couple of weeks. sorry this is so late, but i at least have the few remaining chapters planned. i have finals coming up, but i can maybe post one before December, and what may be the last chapter in the first week of Dec. thank you to anyone who's read this. drop me a line if you liked it :)
p.s, this chapter is unedited, as is most of the story. i'd like to edit everything, though no one needs to read it twice, but i'm thinking i should focuss on finishing it first.
Corey sat still as Dresden treated the scored flesh of his arms, where Sean had dug his nails a little too deep when he was trying to get away. He had no idea how long he had been sitting there or when Sean had left, and the time gaps made him worried because it meant he was in shock. A dull throb in the side of his head kept him still as Dresden worked quickly and efficiently, taking care of him. He was surprised Dresden would bother, but he was grateful for it anyway.
Really, though, it was odd. By all rights he should be running far away from Dresden Weiss, if not for all his other issues at the very least for the same reason Sean had chosen to run. Because Corey could still remember his first glance of Dresden the second he heard the other man in his apartment, threatening his ex. Corey had known, of course, that Dresden was a werewolf, but seeing is believing, right?
For all that he knew the fact; Dresden had never actually looked like what he was, though he often acted it. But when Corey had managed to turn his head and his eyes had cleared enough for him to see, he’d gone still in shock at the image Dresden made.
He was dressed in another of his expensive suits, Versace this time in pinstripe black with a white shirt made of something soft and a matching black and white striped tie, the cuffs held with gold and silver cufflinks, and the coat held in a strangle-hold in one of his large hands. His hair was dishevelled, though, like he’d come in a hurry, his tie not properly done and his body still in that unsettling way, like a predator poised to lunge at intended prey.
For a second, Corey hadn’t been sure between him and Sean who was the prey, and then he had caught the other man’s eyes. They weren’t their usual blue, instead a deep gold-brown that made his pupils look smaller than they should have been, and the savage look in them…that look that told you he saw you as food and if you didn’t run away as fast as you could he’d be on you and turning you into a meal. And not in the good way; but with so much blood and meat and torn flesh and ripped limbs.
Something had happened then and he didn’t remember what, but Sean was gone and he was allowing Dresden to touch him, and that was weirder than Dresden wanting to without the intent to harm or fuck.
Stranger still was how agreeable he was to the touch. After the way he’d reacted to Sean, he should be fighting Dresden off. But the other man’s touch was more than just welcome; it was soothing, and he was swamped again with that feeling of safety in Dresden’s presence; foolish, seeing as he’d been hiding from the man to begin with.
“Did he hurt you anywhere else?” the words were clipped and in that low, growly tone he’d used with Sean. Corey bit his lip and didn’t move, sensing how close Dresden was to his limit, the animal half of him so close beneath the surface. In spite of his curiosity, Corey really did not want to see Dresden’s wolf form up close and personal in his suddenly small-seeming apartment.
“I’m fine,” he murmured after a few seconds, keeping his eyes on his bandaged forearm as his other arm was finished up. There was a huff beside him, just a sharp release of air, but he tensed, though he wasn’t really worried.
Dresden snorted, making him start, and started putting his first aid kit to rights and tossing used cotton into a plastic bag and tossing them in the little garbage bin next to his island. He moved away and there were noises things in his kitchen made as they were manhandled, the only noise the other man made. There was the sudden smell of bleach, sharp and strong even as far as he was, and he looked up. He watched, transfixed, as Dresden moved around and cleaned all trace of blood.
He had removed his tie and undone the first button of his cotton shirt, cufflinks off with his sleeves shoved halfway up his arms to just below his elbows, and still he managed to look like he’d stepped out the cover of a GQ magazine. The shirt fit his form perfectly, hugging broad shoulders, the hollow of his throat and just a little of that mouth-watering chest on display and those gorgeously tone forearms, the muscles clenching and unclenching with every move he made.
He was sexy, always had been if Corey was being honest with himself, but the confidence he’d gained over the years certainly helped. The sudden flush of arousal through his body was anything but unexpected, but it was wrong, and he inhaled sharply as his greedy cock filled out in his pants.
The overwhelming scent of bleach distracted him, though, and he realized it had completely covered the coppery smell of blood. Corey didn’t know whether to be thankful of that or not, because the smell of blood made him a little queasy, but the bleach burning his nostrils wasn’t much of an improvement. How so much more uncomfortable it must be for Dresden’s sharper senses.
“Does the smell of blood bother you?” the question was out before he could think, and he stilled, though he didn’t take it back. Dresden paused for the shortest second, before washing the bleach down the drain.
He was silent so long Corey thought he wouldn’t answer, but then he did. “It…excites me,” he said simply.
Catching his meaning, Corey shivered, but didn’t otherwise move. Eventually, Dresden finished whatever he was still doing, and with noticeable hesitation turned his attention back to Corey. His eyes were back to normal, but something was different about him. They stared at each other, neither of them moving, and Corey figured it out.
It was subtle, so subtle he probably wouldn’t have noticed if that gaze wasn’t quite so intense on him. His face was still statue perfect, but without the cold edge that had been aimed at him since that day in that conference room with concealed hostility beneath it. Now, his gaze was blank, assessing. It almost made him uncomfortable and probably would have if he’d shown any emotion at all behind the look.
He was struck with the sudden need to apologize, remembering he hadn’t at the time; he had simply hidden from Dresden in his shame. Not that Dresden had made hiding from him difficult. The need became an itch, he couldn’t seem to let it go, and when the other man didn’t do more than stare, he felt this was as good a time as any.
Unable to look at his face and say it, he dropped his gaze and took a fortifying breath. “Look, Dresden, I-”
“You used to call me something else.” Corey’s eyes shot up, going wide in his surprise. Why was he acknowledging it now? Or did he, as Corey felt, realize that this conversation was long in coming?
“I remember,” he said consciously.
“You used to call me Denny. And I adored you for it, because you were the only one who ever did,” he continued like Corey hadn’t spoken, those hard blue eyes boring into him.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted out, trying to ignore the urge to squirm.
“What for, exactly? For lying to me, or for cheating on me and doing it on my bed, with my roommate.”
It was a difficult situation, one not so easily explained. Corey bit his lip against doing just that, knowing he couldn’t just blurt out everything and expect all to be fixed. Giving the wrong answer could be disastrous. He stayed quiet so long; Dresden was the first to speak this time.
“Why did you do that?” he asked as he moving to lean against the sink with arms crossed over his chest. “You meant something to me and, stupid me; I actually thought it was mutual. Then I find you, on my bed, riding my friend’s cock with so much enthusiasm,” he sneered and looked away for a second, his eyes narrowing when they focussed back on Corey.
Corey blushed at his bluntness and hunched his shoulders a little. “I’m sorry about that. You weren’t meant to see that. I was going to break it down to you gently, but…” but there was no way to break something like that gently to anyone. “Brian was just…”
“Oh, yes, I know the guy wasn’t really that good a friend. He wasn’t even a friend to begin with; just someone I shared space with,” he said impatiently, waving it away. “I understand him going after you; he was malicious like that, but you actually allowing it?”
“He didn’t exactly give me much room to say no,” Corey mumbled under his breath, though Dresden heard him anyway.
There was a bark of laughter. “Are you trying to imply he raped you?” he exclaimed, voice laden with incredulity, and Corey pinked further, knowing how it sounded.
“No! Of course not. I am very aware of what I did,” he bit his lip. “I more or less mean he intimidated me into it.”
There was a pause. “Intimidated you.”
“If I’d actually said no, he wouldn’t have done it. He wasn’t all that bright, but I’m pretty sure even he knew no consent meant rape, and rape meant a big fine and/or jail time.”
“So what do you mean? Explain it for me, in simple words if you please.”
“You were nice, and yes I know how that sounds, but it isn’t some bad boy thing. I loved that you were nice, it’s just you were too…docile.
“Docile?” his voice was flat as he said it and he arched an eyebrow.
All of a sudden Corey was tired of the gentle approach, because it clearly wasn’t doing him any favours. In a burst of temper, he lashed out. “You were too fucking submissive, ok? Is that what you wanted to hear? I’m a bottom and you acted like you’d rather I was the top. I wanted to have sex with you, but you were too fucking nice. I wanted you to hold me down and make me take everything you wanted to do to me, but you acted more like my best friend instead of my boyfriend most of the time. Fuck, I don’t think you were ever even that.”
There was a long silence, and Corey found his righteous indignation deflating. He studiously did not meet his companion’s gaze, wishing he could take back what he’d just said. When Dresden inhaled sharply, he squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself.
“You wanted me to dominate you.” It wasn’t a question.
There was another long pause then, “Yes.”
“And he…what, cornered you.”
“You could say that. I was in the library waiting for you like we planned. He just popped up out of nowhere, gave me some bullshit story, and dragged me behind him. When we went to your apartment, I thought you were meeting me there. I remember wishing you’d hurry, because Doug was getting unnerving. Before I knew what was happening, he was coming at me with rope the next thing I’m naked with my hands tied and him bending me over in your bed.”
“I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance,” he muttered.
Corey chanced a glance his way to see if he was joking. Dresden wasn’t looking at him anymore, his expression dark and dangerous, and Corey shivered because he didn’t think the other man was kidding.
“You didn’t,” he began, only to realize how it sounded and snap his mouth shut. Did he even want to know?
Dresden’s eyes shot to his. “No, I did not, but I see that I should have. Denying my nature, it seems, was a mistake. I screwed myself over royally in so many ways if I could, I’d cry. This could have all been so easier dealt with…”
“What do you mean?” Corey asked cautiously, something in the other man’s eyes making him nervous and he fidgeted where he sat.
When Dresden’s eyes focussed on him again, they were predatory, and this time he knew the look was aimed at him. When Dresden moved, circling the island and stalking to him, Corey jumped up with his heart in his throat. Not that it would do much good, because he had nowhere to run; Dresden was closer to the door than he was and he knew instinctively if he got close to the other man when he was like this, he would be caught.
Then Dresden’s eyes bled over, the gold taking over the blue in his irises, and Corey shivered because it was interesting and surprisingly hot to watch. When Dresden’s teeth writhed back from his teeth, and Corey’s wide eyes caught sight of canines that were longer than they were supposed to be and had been just a second ago, he felt a chill sink into his chest.
Oh, he was so in trouble.