Bonedust

damages. She’s bored and bored hounds aren’t a good thing.”
    “She’s like the devil incarnate.”
    “But she’s my devil incarnate.”
    Helsong was a small, locally owned club with a good taste in music and fairly priced drinks. It had been the place Urban and Dante had spent a lot of their nights whenever they were stationed in Battery City. Even though the vampire had been quiet, he’d been a damn good mover. Urban shouldered through the door, dragging a slightly hesitant Gabe behind him. “Don’t worry. It’s fine.”
    Urban was pleased to see the half-Iriami man standing at the entrance, still a bouncer after all this time. With dark hair and ram horns, Dallon’s ink-black gaze lingered on Urban before a simmering smile broke across his face. “Urban Winters. Long time, no see.” Urban felt a jerk of nerves as he realized Dallon might bring up Dante in front of Gabriel. That would be a fun subject to talk about.
    Gabriel glanced sidelong at him. “You know him?”
    “Sweetheart, Urban’s an old regular.” Dallon smiled and motioned with a rubber stamp. Urban offered his hand and the man stamped the back of it with a music note of ink that glowed softly, complete with devil horns. He stamped Gabe’s hand too, then winked at Urban. “Not much of a crowd here yet; people seem to always want to dance after dark. Not everyone has a dancer’s spirit like you. You’d dance 24/7 if you had the energy.”
    “Thanks, Dal,” Urban grinned, then wrapped an arm around Gabriel’s shoulders and led him through the door. As the door swung open, their ears were assaulted by the pounding thrum of a dance beat. The room was mostly darkness with the violet shimmer of black lights, a flash of white every few moments casting the group of dancers as stop-motion silhouettes.
    Gabe stiffened, starting to pull away, but Urban held him fast. He leaned close enough to breathe in the smell of the other man’s shampoo. “Easy. I’ll keep you safe. Remember: Outside it’s still daylight. No one’s coming for you. Just relax. Feel the music. Let the music take you to a secret spot. Let it move you.”
    He slid his hand into Gabriel’s and tugged him onto the dance floor. He settled for a spot at the edge, a glow of light from the bar illuminating Gabriel’s outline, and he placed gentle hands on the man’s hips.
    “Move with it. Swing. Your body is liquid,” he whispered into his ear. He felt Gabe shiver ever so slightly and it brought a smile to his lips. He began to sway with the music, pressing his eyes shut and letting the beat drown out reality.
    He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but he was jolted back to the present by the feel of Gabriel’s body pressed up against his, moving smoothly instead of the jerky motions he’d been dancing with before. Urban reached around, sliding one arm around Gabe’s waist, fingertips tracing the scars on the man’s stomach between the line of his shirt and the hem of his jeans.
    He heard Gabriel let out a soft breath, then felt a hand loop around his neck. They pressed together, sliding and moving in unison, the music drowning out their heartbeats. Urban placed a gentle kiss at the man’s jaw, his tongue snaking out, pulling the man tighter against him. He felt the vibration of Gabriel’s moan rather than heard it and the realization of it made him ache with want. He sucked the man’s earlobe into his mouth, worrying it between his tongue and his teeth.
    His free hand trailed downwards in the darkness. They’d somehow gravitated to the center of the room, pitch blackness all around them, holding them in a lover’s embrace. Gabriel pressed his back against Urban’s chest and Urban ground into him. His fingers found the crotch of the other man’s jeans, stroking the tips over the denim, teasingly light.
    Goddess, he wanted the man. His own cock throbbed against the press of Gabriel’s ass and his breath caught in his throat. When Gabriel moved to pull away, his heart clenched. He reluctantly let him go, feeling naked and cold without Gabriel’s body cupping his. They fit together so perfectly.
    “Gabe,” he said into the darkness, eyes straining for the other man, but he didn’t have far to look.
    In a moment’s time, Gabriel’s lips pressed against his, the kiss nervous but needy. Urban felt a groan trickle up his throat and his arms wrapped around the man. His hands slid down to cup the man’s ass, pulling him flush against him. He slid his