Le Frère de Sang

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GENERAL DISCLAIMER - I do not own any of the characters used.

NOTES ON THE CHAPTER - Here again we see Harry facing the consequences of his actions. There is also a slightly more INTIMATE SCENE here, though not too graphic because Harry is rather confused about everything. However, we see his relationship with a character take a slightly more intimate turn.

WARNINGS FOR THE CHAPTER - male/male scene.

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I left the room and headed down to Jean-Claude’s rooms with Asher by my side. As we walked down the many corridors the other people, if you can call them that, who lived in this place stared at me. I kept my mind shields up at maximum despite them probably being vampires and able to hide their emotions. I didn’t like the looks they were giving me. They were the kind of looks that Blaise gave others and that he stopped others giving me. It was lustful, like they were trying to undress me with just their eyes.

“Harry!” I heard a cry and looked up at Nathaniel who was walking towards me with a blonde haired young man walking besides him. From Nathaniel’s descriptions I knew this man to be Jason. Nathaniel had explained to me that Jason fed Jean-Claude blood, when Nathaniel didn’t do it. He was a pomme de sang, which translated to blood apple, if I remember rightly. I really should use the spell on the Learn French books in my room.

“Hi Nathaniel.”

“You going to see Jean-Claude?” He asked, coming uip to me and giving me a brief hug. He released me and I smiled at him.

“Yeah.”

“We‘ll come with you then.” He paused then and looked up at Asher. “If that‘s okay?”

I looked up at Asher and saw him nod his head slightly in agreement. I smiled up at Asher who met my gaze before putting a hand on my lower back and guiding me forwards. Nathaniel moved back to Jason and they walked in front of us with Jason introducing himself to me over his shoulder.

When we arrived at Jean-Claude’s rooms Asher moved forwards and held the door open for us to enter. We all walked in and found Anita stood next to Jean-Claude with that teacher from ages ago…Mr Teeman? No, Mr Zeeman. He was here too. Damian was also there, standing brooding in the corner.

There was also a man who was only a little bit taller than Anita, about the same height as me, who had wide shoulders and slim hips, an athletes body. He had the aura of a cat, reminding me of Professor McGonnegal, in his dominant aura it was written that he had power and grace. He had a handsome oval face and thick wavy brown hair with fantastic yellow-green eyes that once more made me think of a cat. He stood in a tailored suit looking tidy and smart. He looked quite at home where he stood but also seemed to stand tall and proud like he was in complete control. He was surrounded with the feeling of Anita, smudged with the horrible aura, it scarred him.

I tried to take a step backwards only Asher caught my shoulders.

“Calm mon magicien.”

“I feel sick.” I muttered to him and turned my face away from Anita and the cat like man. I thought I had spoken quietly but everyone except Anita heard me as they were all looking at me now. The cat like man was looking angry, Mr Zeeman was looking both annoyed and amused while Jean-Claude just looked stoic and unimpressed. Nathaniel looked decidedly uncomfortable.

“Try to control yourself, you know there is no-one meaning you ill will in this room.” I gritted my teeth.

“I hate the feeling.” I admitted. Jean-Claude spoke now.

“Are you not controlling your empathy?” I glared at him.

“Not that kind of feeling.”

“What exactly is your problem with me?!” Demanded Anita and I turned to look at her. “What have you got against animators?”

I flinched back and refused to look at her.

“Oi!” Anita said sharply trying to get my attention again.

“Ma petite, now isn‘t the time.” Jean-Claude said gently but firmly.

“I think this is the perfect time to get it all out in the open.”

“Non, ma petite.” Anita went to speak again and argue with Jean-Claude when Nathaniel spoke up.

“Please Anita, don‘t pry. He doesn‘t want to talk about his past. It‘s nothing personal against you. Please stop bringing it up.” I shot Nathaniel a grateful look, I’d told him why I disliked Anita, I owed the explanation to him when I flinched back from his touch the first few times he tried to hug me or pat my shoulder in reassurance. Now I could deal with his hugs, enjoy them, despite the lingering foulness on his aura.

“Nathaniel!” Anita said in shock, angry shock.

“We are getting away from the purpose of this meeting. Let us proceed before we all lose our tempers.” Jean-Claude warned giving Anita a significant look.

“Fine.”

“Wonderful.” Jean-Claude gave a small smile and turned to me. He held out his hand towards Mr Zeeman. “Harry, this is Richard Zeeman. He works at Seckman Junior High School teaching the grades below yours. I believe you two have met.”

I nodded and gave Mr Zeeman a small embarrassed smile.
“Hello sir. I‘m sorry for breaking down on you before.”

“Don‘t worry about it.” Mr Zeeman said.

“Now, he is here because you mentioned going back to school. We have come up with a plan to enable you to continue school however we do not wish for you to go back to your flat and be alone. Now is not the time to be alone. So, we propose, and Richard has been generous to agree to lending out his spare room for you to live in. The alternative would have been at Anita‘s home however that is obviously not an option.”

I sighed and nodded offering Mr Zeeman a grateful smile for his generosity. They wouldn’t let me stay here. I was no longer welcome.

“Legally we are claiming you ward of my bloodline, since Blaise had the Ardeur which is a feature of my bloodline and my sire‘s bloodline. The mortal law will accept that thus, if you will, I am now your guardian.”

I tensed and stared at Jean-Claude wearily. I didn’t know Jean-Claude that well. I’d barely seen him recently, only Asher came to see me every night. I was comfortable with Asher though admittedly we knew nothing of each other’s past and knew little of each others hobbies. I knew less about Jean-Claude though, he was practically a stranger. A dangerous stranger who was master of the city. Now he was my guardian? How would he treat me as a guardian? What would he dictate to me? Of course I didn’t have to obey but I didn’t want to make an enemy of the master of St Louis.

“Now, is the plan acceptable so far?” I twisted my hands.

“Yeah.”

“You will move in with Richard then?”

“If he doesn‘t mind.”

“Wonderful.” Jean-Claude said. “However, there is something you should be aware of. Richard here…”

“I would prefer to tell him thank you very much.” Mr Zeeman’s voice was sharp and powerful, leaving no room for argument. However a voice like that against the master of the city? Wasn’t that insolence? Jean-Claude merely gave him an indulgent smile and nodded his head allowing Mr Zeeman to take over. Mr Zeeman growled slightly but turned to look at me.

“Before you move into my house with me you should be aware that I am a lycanthrope. I am, Ulfric, alpha wolf to the Thronnos Rokke Clan of werewolves.”

“Oh.” I said gently. Mr Zeeman seemed surrounded by self hatred, I could see it without having to use my empathy. “My uncle was a werewolf.”

“You had an uncle?” I blinked at Asher’s words and looked up at him, straining my neck to see behind me.

“No. Not really but he might as well have been one.”

“Where…”

“Dead. They‘re all dead.” Asher nodded and his hands squeezed my shoulders gently. I looked back to Mr Zeeman.

“You have no views on it then?”

“No. I understand I won‘t be able to talk about it at school. Thank you for offering me your home.”

“You‘re welcome.” Mr Zeeman said.

“Fantastic.” I wondered when Jean-Claude got so optimistic. He always seemed so serious before. “Now all we need to do is decide when it would be best for Harry to move in.”

“The full moon will be here in three days so moving in after that would be preferable.”

“In a week then?”

“Five days, then he has the weekend to settle in before school on Monday.” Mr Zeeman agreed, I could see that he would agree with Jean-Claude but he’d still keep it within his control. I wonder why he doesn’t like the master vampire.

“Is that agreeable to you Harry?” I nodded to him. I would be leaving in five days. “Very well. We should also tell you that the vampires responsible for your brother‘s death have been sentenced to death and there is an investigation underway into their location as they managed to escape custody.”

“Thank you.” I muttered.

“I believe that was all? Yes?” Jean-Claude looked around the room and nobody offered anything else to bring up. “Very well then. Jason, Nathaniel I believe you have work. As do you Damian. I also have a pressing matter that calls my attention away so I must leave you. Perhaps I can escort you to the exit ma petite, Micah?” I watched as Anita’s jaw clenched but she nodded her agreement. The cat like man, who from Jean-Claude’s words I will assume is Micah, also nodded. “Perhaps you would care to escort Harry back to his rooms, mon Chardonneret?”

“Of course. Harry?” I nodded and turned around, Asher releasing me. I turned to the door and reached a hand to the handle only to had Asher beat me to it. He held the door open for me and I gave him a small smile before slipping out of the room.

When we made it back to my room I moved over to the shelves where all my school books had been placed. I picked up my science book and held my hand out absentmindedly summoning my wand.

“Harry, I regret that I must leave you now.” I dropped my hand and turned around, my wand clattered to the floor after my attention left the spell.

“You‘re going?”

“I‘m afraid so. I need to feed. I shall not be gone long.”

“But…can‘t…can‘t you just feed off me? I don‘t mind.”

“I cannot.” I frowned at him.

“Why not? I don‘t understand why you won‘t. I don‘t mind, it doesn‘t bother me!” It doesn’t bother me much, I corrected in my mind. “I always fed Blaise, I‘ve got no diseases, Blaise always said I had more life in my blood than anyone else.”

“You should not be offering this to me. No, I shall leave and return shortly.” I felt like screaming.

“I don‘t understand why not! Is there…” A thought occurred to me and I turned away. I probably wasn’t worthy to someone like Asher to feed from. “Fine, I‘ll see you later I guess.”

I summoned my wand to me and went back to my book. I pulled the science book off the shelf and flicked through the pages trying to find a page to start with. I needed to find the beginning of the next chapter so I could copy the information. I found the chapter and flicked through counting the sides of information that I needed to know. Thirty seven sides, I readied the number into the spell.

“Harry…”

“Go Asher or you will get hungry.” I said without turning around. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I slipped out from under the hand and moved over to the table.

“Harry.”

“You said you had to eat Asher so go and eat. I‘ll see you later. Enjoy your meal.” I heard a sigh and some muttered words in French then I heard the door open and click shut. I sighed. Pointing my wand at the starting page of the chapter I said the spell and felt the onslaught of information. When the onslaught stopped I sighed again. I wasn’t worthy; I wasn’t worthy to be food to Asher. I wasn’t worthy enough to stay here.

I growled and pushed away the science book, pushing it away hard enough that it fell off the table. I threw my wand hard across the room and it clattered against the wall before falling to the floor and rolling around.

“Merlin!” I cried kicking the table with my foot before burying my head in my hands. Was it because I was so unworthy that nobody wanted to stay with me? Was that why they all left? Was that why they died? Blaise wanted to die, he didn’t want to go on living. Was it because of me? Probably, he got fed up of me. I’m such a weakling to cry at everything all the time that I’m not surprised Blaise didn’t want to be around me.

“Bloody hell.” I rubbed my face, my eyes stinging but not producing tears. I stood up and walked to the door. I slipped out into the corridor and headed towards the kitchen. Perhaps cooking would take my mind off of everything.

In the kitchen I couldn’t find any food, they hadn’t restocked. I pulled out some pasta and a piece of chicken from the fridge. I put the chicken in the oven for half an hour while I cooked the pasta for twelve and used magic to chop and peal carrots. I made a white sauce and when everything was done I coated the pasta and chicken in the white sauce and settled down to eat. I barely made it a quarter of the way through my dinner before I pushed that away as well.

I threw a spell at all the dirty utensils and plates and they cleaned instantly. I cast another spell to put them away and walked out of the kitchen. I didn’t want to go back to my room but it was the only place I could go so I headed there.

“Harry?” I paused at the voice and turned around to see Jean-Claude standing with Asher next to him. I looked between them.

“Yes?”

“Perhaps we could accompany you to your room? I believe we have something to talk about.” I glanced at Asher before looking away.

“No.” I said and turned my back on them both. I began to walk away.

“No?” Jean-Claude questioned. I paused again but didn’t turn around.

“You heard. I said no. No, I don‘t want you to accompany me to my room and no I don‘t want to talk.” I made to walk away again.

“Here is where I should put some stress on my being your guardian and tell you that I was merely asking to be polite, no?” I gritted my teeth. He was going to use the guardian card so soon after me finding out. That was low.

“Fine.” I said in defeat and walked back to my room. Once there I closed the door behind me, they were going to demand this talk but I didn’t have to be a polite host and hold the door for them. I moved over to the book that was on the floor and picked it up. I carried it back to the shelf and slid it into place. The door opened then closed.

“Harry, come and sit down so we can have this chat.” I turned to look at them and shook my head.

“No thank you, I‘d prefer to keep my distance from you. From you both.” I added.

“And yet less than an hour ago you were offering to feed Asher.” I turned away, turning my back on them both. I lifted a different book from the shelf and flicked through the pages trying to appear busy to alleviate some of the discomfort. “You do not deny that you offered then?”

“Why deny it? It makes no difference to lie about it, he refused anyway and I understand so what‘s the point in making a fuss about it?”

“No, I don‘t believe you understood at all mon petit magicien.” Asher’s voice came across the room. I shrugged in answer, pain twisting in my chest. I wasn’t good enough for him.

“What‘s to understand? You didn‘t want me. I‘m used to it. It doesn‘t matter. So why all the fuss?”

“As mon Chardonneret said, you didn‘t understand. Asher didn‘t refuse out for any other reason other than you not being able to give consent to such a thing as you are too young.” I rolled my eyes and tsked slightly. I wasn’t of age. I was never of age for anything but that never bothered anyone before.

“I‘m not of age to be fed from? Too late.” I said bitterly and put the book back on the shelf. I pulled another one down.

“Why won‘t you look at me?” I had said the same words to Dumbledore all those years ago. Now Asher said them to me. “Am I that hideous to look at?”

I spun around and glared at him. “Don‘t be stupid! There‘s nothing hideous about you! I don‘t understand why you thing so ill of yourself.”

“Nor I you mon petit magicien.” I tensed at his words. He’d done that on purpose. Sneaky sod…I sighed.

“What do you want?” Asher rose to his feet.

“I want to feed.”

“So go feed. I‘m not stopping you.”

“I‘m well aware you are not stopping me however you aren‘t making things easy Harry. You offered me your blood…”

“Yes and you refused so why are you still here?” I interrupted.

“You offered me your blood but you are not allowed to consent because you are not of age yet and you need permission and supervision through the feeding.” I frowned at him then caught on and looked towards Jean-Claude in shock. Jean-Claude seemed to be slightly amused.

“You mean…you want to feed from me now?” Asher nodded and I frowned. “And you had to get permission from Jean-Claude to feed from me?”

“Yes, not to mention somebody else needed to be witness to your consent.”

“Oh.”

“Hm so,” Jean-Claude said, “do you retract your consent?”

“No I don‘t retract it.” I still felt shock through my system, my wits deserting me.

“Very well then.” I looked back to Asher who was giving me a small smile. I flicked my hair back from my face, it was loose today. I summoned a hair band and pulled it out of the way.

“How would you like to do this? How are you comfortable?” Asher asked.

“Um…Blaise lay on top of me. Sometimes we sat on a chair, sometimes against a wall…I don‘t mind. Lying down is more comfortable.” Asher nodded and held his hand towards the bed inviting me to go over to it.

I swallowed and moved over. I slid onto the bed and lay down, moving the pillow over to the side so when Asher fed from my neck he wouldn’t have the rest of his face in the goose feather pillow. I tilted my neck slightly to the side. It would be just like feeding Blaise, no different. Giving someone what they needed to survive.

The bed dipped as Asher sat next to me and leaned over me. I looked at him, he wasn’t going to lie down?

“I think you would be more comfortable sitting on the bed, it would give you room to move away should you change your mind.”

“I‘m not going to change my mind. I‘ll feed you, I said I would.” But I dutifully sat up despite my protest. I opened my legs so Asher could settle between them as Blaise so often did. Asher didn’t move, he just closed my legs then grabbed my hips and pulled me to sit next to him so my legs were hanging over the edge. Then he stood up so he was hovering over me.

“Better. Would it be okay in this position?”

“Sure. If you like.” I offered and tilted my head to the side again. Asher leant down and put his hand on the other side of my neck before leaning his lips towards the other side of my neck. I shuddered slightly and moved my hands up to his arms. He froze as I gripped his biceps. When he did nothing I gave him a slight tug.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to my neck. I felt them curved up in a smile. His lips opened against my skin and I felt him run his tongue over me. I shivered again. Blaise did that often, licked my neck but it never affected me like this…this felt nice.

“Are you going to feed?”

“Hm, I‘m getting there.” Asher laughed against my neck. He licked again and I shut my eyes. I leaned my head against his shoulder. He pressed his lips against me. I shifted uncomfortably, this attention was nice but it was making parts of me wake up, parts of me that only woke up during wet dreams.

“Stop playing with your food.” I whispered to him and heard two people laugh, Asher and Jean-Claude.

“That is something I haven‘t heard before.” I heard Jean-Claude mutter.

“Relax Harry.”

“I am relaxed but if you keep doing that…” Asher grinned and gave my neck a long lick before his mouth opened wide. Here it came, the bite. Asher just licked me again and planted his mouth over me. His tongue swirled around on my skin and he sucked gently. Then pain flashed through my neck as his fangs pierced me. I gave a whimper of pain and then I felt it.

Pleasure. Pleasure so intense I’ve never felt anything like it before. It was hot and burning making every cell in my body wake up and pay attention. My blood felt like it was vibrating in my veins, my bones humming. I felt so incredibly alive.

Someone moaned. My mouth was open and as the pleasure increased I felt air vibrate my vocal cords. I was moaning. Then a hard vibration at my neck and I felt and heard Asher moan. He sucked harder and I gripped him tighter.

“Ah!” I gasped, why was I feeling this? Why not feel the pain? Where was the pain? Where was the nausea? Why this burning pleasure? Why wasn’t it the same as Blaise’s.

“AH!” I felt like I was going to burst. I felt like I was straining to break free of the pleasure. Where did it come from? It was everywhere, all consuming. Hot everywhere. My hands tingled, my toes curled. I strained my body against it, arching to it and pushing away from it.

“Ah…st…st…” I tried to protest, to stop everything but I couldn’t say the word.

“Mon ami, stop.” That voice made the sucking sensation stop and the lips on my neck left but the pleasure continued. It burned and curled, pulsing at my skin trying to burst out of my body. I arched again and the pleasure tore from me, bursting out of me. Stars burst inside my eyelids. Hot fire burned through my body and pleasure tingled in my limbs. My mouth was open again. I was gasping in breath trying to fill my lungs and every lungful of air seemed to cool the raging fire the tiniest bit.

I didn’t even realise my eyes were closed but I opened them and found myself looking up at the ceiling. I lowered my gaze and looked towards the two vampire, pleasure still humming in my body.

“Why ah! It felt good…why didn‘t it hurt?” I forced myself to say through the pleasure hazing my brain.

“My bite is always pleasurable mon magicien. I would not hurt you.”

“But…mm…” This was very embarrassing. I hummed in pleasure and tried to push it away. “It always ah hurt before…”

“It shall not hurt you again.” I closed my eyes and relaxed into the bed. The pleasure hummed through my body still, but no longer felt like it was just beneath my skin and trying to burst out of me. It was just a background hum, a vibration keeping every nerve in my body crying in suspense.

“I need to heal you.”

“It‘s okay, I can do it.” I pushed myself to sit up with shaky arms. My arms shuddered as they tried to push up my weight but my stomach muscles couldn’t help me because they had turned to mush. Finally sat upright I put my hand on my neck and concentrated on healing the fang marks. The spell finished and I removed my hand.

“Hm. Interesting trick.” I felt a hand on my neck and turned to find that it was Jean-Claude that was touching me. He ran his hand over where Asher had bitten me. I shivered and shut my eyes again. He laughed and took his hand away. “Perhaps you should clean up petit magicien.”

I opened my eyes and frowned at him. Did I have blood down me or something? I looked over my shirt then noticed a wet patch on the front of my trousers. I groaned in embarrassment and pushed myself off the bed.

“That doesn‘t usually happen when I‘m awake.” I moved into the bathroom. I opened the door and summoned a clean pair of jeans and boxers to follow me in. Closing the door behind everything I stripped of and threw the dirtied clothes into the dirty washing pile next to the sink. I pulled on my other clothes and slipped out of the bathroom.

“Sorry.” I apologised unable to look at them properly but I could see their mouths. They were smiling slightly.

“Don‘t worry mon petit magicien, it happens all the time.” I nodded and moved back over to the bed, keeping a small distance between them and myself as I did so. I started tidying up the bed covers and straightening out the pillows.

“So why exactly didn‘t it hurt? Why did it…why was it the complete opposite?”

“That‘s just my bite. Do not be embarrassed by your reaction.” Asher said in a low voice, deep in pitch. It sent further shivers through my body though luckily the pleasure from the bite was disappearing.

“I don‘t mean to be rude but does it come with age then? To change the effect of the bite so much?”

“Certainly. Our powers do grow in time.” Jean-Claude offered, I had a feeling he wasn‘t telling me the whole story. “Now, what were your plans for the rest of the night?”

“I don‘t know. I‘ve not got a lot to do, besides catch up on school work. I only have a week before I‘m back at school.”

“Ah, I see. Then perhaps you would like some company while you work? You can accompany Asher and I. We were going to go over some…paper work in my office. Join us, it is never nice to do tedious tasks alone.” I looked up at the Master of the city.

“I don‘t want to be a bother.”

“Never a bother Harry.” Asher reassured. “And Jean-Claude wouldn‘t have offered had he not been sincere. Come.” I nodded and moved over to the shelf. I wouldn’t do any work on science, after casting that spell on my mind to try to immediately access the information would give me a tremendous headache, worse than the one I was going to get anyway. I pulled out a maths text book and exercise book as well as the book we were supposed to be reading in English Literature.

“If you are ready…” Jean-Claude left the sentence open, allowing his actions to hint at the rest of the sentence. He held his hand towards the door allowing me to proceed before him. I nodded and walked forwards. Before I got to the door Asher opened it for me and as I walked through I felt his hand on my lower back.

Down the corridor to Jean-Claude’s office the vampires spoke in French above me. I hadn’t gotten around to using the spell on my French books but at the same time they were using French to purposefully leave me out of the conversation so it would be rude to learn French just to eavesdrop.

We arrived at the study and once inside the study Jean-Claude pointed out a spare table for me to sit at while he and Asher moved over to the desk. Jean-Claude sat behind the desk and Asher took his place on the chair in front of the desk. They were still chatting in French.

I started my work, their soft French voices not exactly helping me concentrate but they were soothing none the less. It was nice to have company.

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