The sight of the bloody tears was somewhat startling, but even more striking was how down Blaine looked. "Hey, it's... I'm fine. I was just finishing my beer." He swallowed and reached out, grabbing one of Blaine's hands in an attempt to offer some strength. He hated seeing the other man so stricken. "What happened, man? Was it... did that guy do something? The one that came in?"

"We broke up," Blaine explained, choking on a deep-throated sob. "We've been seeing each other, and Kurt's father found out about us. He had to promise not to see me." Just saying the words pained him so much that it made the vampire long for the true death. Knowing he could never see Kurt again, coupled with the hurt in his lover's eyes, it was too much for Blaine to bear. "I... I shouldn't have come back here. I don't know why I did. I should go..." He started to stand on quaking legs, another bout of crimson tears spilling from his eyes.

"No, hey, don't," Jeremiah bid, reaching out to catch one pale wrist in his hand. "Seriously, you shouldn't be alone right now." He wasn't going to pretend that it wasn't at least partly selfish wanting to see Blaine, to talk to him, but he really didn't like the way the vampire looked. He'd obviously been pretty into the stranger, whoever he was, and he was hurting. "I'll buy you a drink or a True Blood or whatever and we can talk or dance or... just... don't deal with this solo. That never ends well."

Blaine didn't want to do anything, but Jeremiah had a point. "Not exactly a nice night for a reunion," he murmured, reaching out to absently grip the half-empty bottle of True Blood. "I... knew something was wrong, I could feel it. I just didn't realize how bad things were." Continuing to receive stares from mortal bar patrons, Blaine turned to his companion with another defeated shrug of his shoulders. "Want to go someplace else? I should really go home and clean myself up." There was no hidden agenda, it was an innocent invitation, especially since Jeremiah had offered to keep him company in his time of need.

"Sounds good," Jeremiah answered honestly. Blaine obviously wasn't making any kind of a move, and he wasn't going to push. The guy was in bad shape, and given that he'd done his own dose of damage to the vampire's heart in the past, it only seemed right that he offer a helping hand. They'd been well on their way to being friends once upon a time, and he hoped that they could be again. He scooted out of the booth and left the mostly-empty bottle there. "Lead the way." Though he didn't want to dwell on the negative, Blaine bottling everything up wouldn't make him feel better either. "So you guys were pretty serious, huh?"

"Yes," Blaine replied somberly. He led the way out of the club and back into the night. Seeing the spot where he and Kurt had broken up only minutes ago hit the vampire in the chest with a palpable ache. He glanced away, hurrying onto the street and making toward his apartment. "Please, can we talk about something else?" Blaine asked, hugging himself. If he kept thinking about Kurt, then he was certain he would go out of his mind with grief. "What about you? Have you been seeing anyone?" It was a silly question. Blaine needed something silly.

"A couple times, yeah, but... nothing serious." Jeremiah considered his options and finally decided that a little monologue wouldn't be so bad. He did still owe Blaine an apology, and making that sincere came with an explanation too. "I've been working on me most of the time. Always kind of been selfish, just worried about my part of the equation. So it's been hard. I've been getting used to the idea of putting what somebody else needs before what I need, remembering I'm not the only person out there in the universe. There are big things in the world, bigger things than just me or anybody, and... And besides that, I was kind of an ass." He threw Blaine a rueful smile. "Dating a high school guy wouldn't've been the right thing, but I still could've said thank you, and we still could have been friends. But, like I said... ass. I'm sorry."

Blaine appreciated Jeremiah's honesty as well as his apology. "Thanks, but really... it's okay. I mean it." He could only imagine what he must have looked like chasing after the older boy as if he were a lovesick puppy dog. "If my track record's anything to go by, then it was probably for the best." Another crushing shadow of sadness cast itself across the vampire's face. "It seems I'm not very good when it comes to relationships." As they reached his apartment, Blaine invited Jeremiah inside and immediately grabbed a washcloth. He wiped at his face, cleaning off the blood as best he could. "There. Is that any better?"

"Almost," Jeremiah agreed, grabbing the cloth and wiping away the last trace of the tears from Blaine's face. "Now you could go back to being on the cover of GQ. Not to sound creepy or inappropriate or whatever, but you've gotten hotter." He smiled and tossed the cloth into the sink. Recalling something that Blaine had mentioned during one of their coffee talks before things got a little too intense, Jeremiah suggested, "You still a movie buff? Maybe we can throw something in. Escapism's a totally valid way of dealing with a sucky break-up. Extra points if there's alcohol involved, but therapy's different for everybody."

If Blaine were totally honest with himself and Jeremiah, then he would have
confessed that all he felt like doing was climbing to the roof, curling up in a
ball, and letting the sun burn him to ashes. He had known loss before, but never
anything like the pain of being torn apart from Kurt. How could he go on without
him? Blaine briefly considered leaving Lima, wondering if Damien would allow
him. Jeremiah's talk of movies snapped him out of his daze. "What? Oh, sorry."
He nodded toward a cabinet on the other side of the room. "Yeah, I've got a ton
of DVDs in there. Pick anything you like."

Deciding that light was best, Jeremiah popped in Aladdin and patted the couch
next to himself once he settled in. "C'mon. You need to get away from your own
head." He could practically see the wheels turning in Blaine's head. The guy had
done a number on him. Whoever the stranger was, they'd been a lot more than
casual. Maybe it wasn't his place, but Jeremiah found that he couldn't stomach
the idea of Blaine doing something drastic if he was left alone.

Jeremiah was right, even if Blaine found it near-impossible to stop thinking about Kurt. The look of anguish in his mortal lover's eyes had been like a proverbial stake to his unbeating heart. He couldn't take it, knowing he would never see him again. The pain was crippling. As he shifted on the sofa, Blaine found himself more aware of Jeremiah's presence. His warmth, his scent, the rushing of his blood. Emotionally torn, his vampire instincts took over, and before he realized what was happening, he was sliding into the other man's lap, straddling his hips. "You're right; I need to forget." Blaine lunged forward, kissing him through more crimson tears.

Jeremiah was fairly sure that he should tell Blaine to stop. On the other hand, what were the chances that they'd see one another again? Blaine needed someone to be with him, so why not show him some support? Why not be the thing that kept him from falling apart for a few more minutes? It wasn't really selfless, and Jeremiah knew it. He wanted Blaine, wanted the strong, hard body draped over his own. The blond reached up and clapped his hands onto Blaine's hips, squeezing tightly and then grinding up into him as his lips parted. Jeremiah couldn't resist letting his tongue dart out to trace the seam of Blaine's lips. He wanted to taste, touch, to feel everything he could. It was strange how hot someone with such cold skin managed to make him.

The unrelenting pain of having lost Kurt fueled Blaine's actions. If Jeremiah had rejected him again, then the vampire would have surely been lost. Instead of pushing him away, the mortal was warm and accepting, and it was exactly what Blaine needed. He groaned softly when he tasted Jeremiah's tongue. It wasn't Kurt, but it his sweetness was delicious. Blaine's fingers carded the blond's hair, surging forward in Jeremiah's lap and relishing the strong grasp on his hips. He deepened the kiss, shocked at the arousal he felt for the other man. In another life, he would have rejoiced over being in Jeremiah's arms. Now, he wanted only one thing: for the hurt to go away.

Jeremiah groaned into the man's mouth and responded, his tongue darting out to trace over Blaine's. The vampire tasted delicious despite the coppery tang of True Blood lingering there. Gently he lifted his hips, rolling them up to meet Blaine's, testing the waters of moving things ahead. He wanted Blaine badly, and the feeling was obviously mutual to some degree. He just had no idea what kind of comfort Blaine really wanted or how far he was willing to take it. //Enjoy it while you've got it. That guy can't actually be crazy enough not to come back for more of this.//

Blaine surrendered himself completely. Usually he was the dominant one, the predator taking what he desire. Tonight he needed to be taken. He whimpered helplessly as he felt the heat of Jeremiah's substantial hardness pressing against him. His fingers were thoroughly tangled in the mortal's hair now, carding the silken strands with a gentle desperation. Without even realizing it, Blaine was churning his hips and grinding against him. They were both still fully clothed, and yet the intimacy was shockingly wonderful. It would never be the same as it was with Kurt, but Blaine couldn't dwell on that, otherwise he might go insane with grief.

"Since tonight's about making you feel good," Jeremiah purred into the vampire's ear, "so how do you want it? You want me to fuck you, or do you want to be inside me?" It sounded hot either way. Hell, he'd settle for a blow job, but something told him that wasn't going to be enough to take off the edge of hurt that Blaine was fighting through. "I don't care so long as I get you for the night." He couldn't believe he'd ever said no, jailbait or not. It was a damn shame, but Blaine was more than worth the wait.

"Fuck me." Blaine knew exactly what he'd needed the moment he'd taken the reckless decision to kiss Jeremiah. He didn't think he'd ever be able to make love to another man, not after Kurt. Being taken was different, and it was something he'd wanted from Jeremiah ever since the first time he'd laid eyes on him. "I want you to fuck me." There was no doubt in the vampire's mind. He surged forward, grinding himself down on the mortal's substantial hardness. Although Blaine remained desperately grief-stricken over losing Kurt, he found comfort in Jeremiah's arms, the heat of his body, and the scent of his desire.

"Gladly," Jeremiah agreed. Reluctantly, he admitted, "We should probably head to the bedroom, get some lube... I want this to be so fucking good for you that you can't think about anything but that long." That was the whole point of the night, for Blaine to forget. For Blaine to lose himself totally and completely. "I want to be inside you so bad... so fucking bad," he growled against the vampire's ear as the shorter man moved against him almost frantically.

Blaine almost protested against the bedroom where their eventual rendezvous would take place. The memory of the time he and Kurt had spent together would remain forever special to him. Could he really tarnish that by having another man claim him in that same bed? Thinking of Kurt and the fact that they could never see each other again changed Blaine's mind. "Please?" he all but whimpered. Decided, Blaine shifted away from Jeremiah's lap and reached for the mortal's hand. He effortlessly lifted him away from the sofa, crushing the blond against his body and kissing him with a raw sense of desperation. As he lead Jeremiah toward the other room, Blaine tore at his clothing until his chest was bare and cool hands tugged and caressed warm flesh.

Jeremiah easily found the lube on the nightstand and carefully kept himself from thinking about what it had been used for - and who it had been used on - recently. That didn't matter. //Not like we're together. This is just something he needs for now.// Jeremiah didn't let that slow him for a moment as he kissed Blaine like his life depended on it. The vampire's body was damn near perfect and, feeding off of Blaine's obvious desperation, Jeremiah blindly spread him open and teased the man's ass with a single finger before letting it drive in. He knew that Blaine wasn't in the mood for sweet and sensual. It probably hit too close to whatever he'd shared with Kurt. Blaine needed someone willing to take and give until they were spent, and he knew he could be that person. "God, you're tight," he murmured breathlessly against the vampire's lips.

Blaine moaned deep and low in his throat. Jeremiah's forcefulness and the intensity of the mortal's wriggling digit were shockingly good. His dark eyes widened as he breathed in the intoxicating scent of the other man's desire. "It's been a while," the vampire confessed. In fact, the last time he'd allowed himself to be taken was with Damien... His eyes fluttering closed, Blaine pressed himself back against Jeremiah's finger with a grunt of need. At the same time, he reached down between them and closed his hand around that overheated cock pressing insistently against him. Jeremiah was huge, exceeding Blaine's expectations and reigniting the fantasies he would lose himself in over the older man. He stroked him from base to tip and back again, marveling at the size of him. "You can have me," Blaine whispered, his lips roaming over Jeremiah's throat. "You can have anything you want..."

Jeremiah let out a soft sound of assent and gently added a second finger. He could feel the vampire giving in and relaxing into the touch. Soon enough Blaine was bucking back onto the fingers and he added a third. They weren't going to last, neither of them, but that was fine. They didn't have to last. Whatever they shared was likely to be an explosion instead of a slow burn, and he'd accepted that the second they crossed the line from hanging out to making out. "Why don't you get me ready," he suggested, nodding toward the lube still laying beside them.

Something akin to a whimper forced itself from Blaine's throat as he nodded and reached for the bottle. Almost drowning in an oblivion of pleasure, the vampire's hand shook as he managed to pour a generous portion of the viscous fluid onto his fingers. He groaned as he was barely able to close his hand around Jeremiah's immense girth, which jerked against his palm with feverish lust. Honey flowed from the flaring tip of the mortal's cock, adding to the slick slide, while the scent of Jeremiah's desire threatened to overwhelm Blaine's senses. His fangs appeared unbidden as he sought out that delicious, panting mouth again. "Fuck me," he begged between kisses. "Fuck me, Jeremiah..."

And how could anyone say no to a request like that? Jeremiah kissed the vampire hungrily, barely aware of the danger he was in from the fangs. He was too distracted by the sheer need and want of the situation to notice. Instead Jeremiah withdrew his fingers and lined his cock up. The initial push was slow and steady. Blaine really was tight, and it was blissfully sweet to feel the first squeeze of the vampire's body as the head of his cock pushed inside. It just got better. With every stroke, Jeremiah found himself engulfed in the strangely cool grip of the other man's ass, and odd as it was, it was pure bliss.

Blaine cried out, his groan a mixture of pleasure and relief. Being taken by Jeremiah was exactly what he'd needed to dull the emotional pain of losing Kurt. And still it wasn't enough. Reaching around the mortal's back, the vampire filled his hands with Jeremiah's incredible ass, sinking his fingers into the firm mounds, and dragging him in even closer. The burning stretch of Jeremiah's gorgeous cock filling him completely left him aching for more. "Yes," he pleaded, "fuck me... fuck me, please..." Another kiss, deep and passionate as Blaine's hips rose to meet the other man's thrusts. Jeremiah's rich scent, coupled with the aroma of his boiling blood, tempted Blaine's hunger. He gasped against that sweet, panting mouth before drawing his fangs toward Jeremiah's throat...

At Blaine's urging, Jeremiah began to thrust harder. It was hard to keep any kind of control with Blaine's hips snapping up against his and the man's helpless moans in his ears. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had gotten him so worked up. "Oh, fuck, you're so good..." Better than he could ever have imagined when they'd first met. The slight loss of control and brush with his baser nature involved in becoming a vampire had done nothing but good things for the sexy brunette. Utterly oblivious to Blaine's struggle with control, Jeremiah continued to move, caught up in the helpless, heady pleasure of the act.

Another violent tremor of pleasure quaked through Blaine as Jeremiah pumped harder, deeper into his aching body. "Ohhnnn... oh yes... ohhnnn... yes, Jeremiah," he moaned, his body shivering as the mortal's cock caressed him and explored every fold and crevice of his ass. His lips reached Jeremiah's throat, and his tongue flicked out to trace a pulsing vein he found there. The thump-thump-thump of Jeremiah's heart filled Blaine's ears as his fangs closed in, and the vampire let out what could only be described as a pained whimper. "I want... I want to drink you... please? Please... can I...?" It had to be Jeremiah's choice.

For a second, Jeremiah was oblivious to what the other man meant, but it caught up to him quickly enough. Blaine wanted to bite him. The thought was thrilling and scary, and he murmured, "Yeah, do it," before he could think better of it. In for a penny, in for a pound. He wanted to experience the whole shebang. If the night was just going to be a pleasant memory, he wanted to make sure it was one hell of a memory. "Do it, Blaine." Jeremiah never stopped moving, never stopped moving inside of the beautiful vampire as he waited for what was to come, wondering whether it would hurt.

Jeremiah's heated acceptance sent a thrill racing through Blaine, despite his despair over losing Kurt. His vampiric instincts demanded not only pleasure, but also blood. Never vicious when feeding, Blaine kissed Jeremiah's throat until the scent of the mortal's desire reached a fever pitch. Only then did he give into his hunger, sinking his fangs into that lovely throat with the greatest care. Ambrosia flowed into his mouth, warming him with life essence. Jeremiah tasted incredible, and Blaine clutched at the other man's rutting body while blood spilled over his lips as he drank ravenously. His body tensed and shuddered, rising to meet Jeremiah's punishing thrusts with relish.

Having expected pain, Jeremiah was shocked to find that the sharp pressure was followed instead by a euphoric bliss. He cried out in pleasure and thrust deep into Blaine on the next instroke. "Close," he gasped, already losing the steady rhythm in favor of something sharper and more desperate. Jeremiah couldn't stop himself from giving everything he had, fucking himself into the vampire's willing body roughly. But it wasn't as if Blaine seemed to mind. They both needed oblivion, longed for it - they just wanted it for different reasons.

Blaine's groans of pleasure were muffled against Jeremiah's throat. Warm, rich blood continued to stream down his throat, and the vampire fed hungrily as his body responded to the mortal's intense lust. Jeremiah proved to be an exceptional lover, thrusting into him with enough force to nearly shake the castors off the bed. His cock was enormous, splitting Blaine wide open and filling him in ways only Damien had ever achieved. Blaine clenched around him maddeningly, one arm embracing the flushed and sweating blond, while the other reached down and he cupped his thrusting ass. Although he loathed the idea of their coupling ending, he ached to feel Jeremiah exploding deep inside of him, scorching his insides with ecstasy.

Blaine got precisely what he wanted only a few moments later. Jeremiah came with a groan muffled by his biting his own lower lip. "Cum with me," he panted as the tremors began and his hand found Blaine's cock between them and began to pump raggedly. He needed to know that it felt as good for Blaine as it did for him. Even if things didn't go beyond skin deep, that didn't make the way it felt when they came together any less amazing.

Gasping wetly against Jeremiah's throat, Blaine exploded almost immediately in a shattering orgasm. He clutched desperately at the other man, fingers sinking into soft flesh with bruising force. He moaned and twisted, with Jeremiah's massive cock spearing his ass, coming violently over and over again. In that blissful moment the sadness evaporated, and Blaine lost himself in ecstasy. He licked at the mortal's neck until the wounds carrying the delicious blood he'd been feasting upon closed. His body flared around Jeremiah, grasping that incredible cock in a desperate attempt to wring every last drop of cum from him.

Jeremiah felt as if his whole being had been drained away, and he didn't really mind a bit. In the aftermath, he let out a heavy sigh and wrapped his arms around Blaine's body. "God, Blaine, that was... that was awesome. Seriously. Awesome." He'd had some pretty talented lovers, but none of them touched what he'd felt with Blaine as the vampire drank from him and he pumped his warm seed into the man's body. "Suddenly starting to get the whole thing where people hang out at the bar all the time."

"Thank you... for this, I... needed it... you... desperately." Blaine clung to Jeremiah as if the mortal were a life preserver and he was a drowning man at sea. His tongue flicked over the wounded marring Jeremiah's throat, tasting the last vestiges of blood that had yet to dry. The solace was fading as the grief returned. Blaine tried to distract himself further with the man embracing him. "You should be careful, Jeremiah," he warned softly. "Being with a vampire can become addicting. And you do taste... wonderful."

"Don't worry," Jeremiah answered with a light laugh, "I'm not much for sleeping around. Believe me, I wouldn't've said no when you were in high school if I was." He'd always tended to stick to people that he should be with, and even if Blaine probably still didn't fall under that umbrella, he was glad to have made the deviation. "Guess I should probably get outta here, let you get some rest." Reluctantly Jeremiah shifted to lie next to the other man instead. "You gonna be okay tonight? I know that the odds are I won't see you again, and that's fine, but... I want to know you're not going to do anything stupid. You're worth more than that. No matter how great this guy was, you deserve somebody better. Got it?"

No one was better than Kurt, but Blaine kept that to himself. Jeremiah didn't know him or the circumstances revolving around their break-up. However, he appreciated the mortal's sentiment as well as his company more than he could ever properly express. "Jeremiah, I'm not looking to be involved with anyone else," he said softly. "My heart belongs to Kurt even if I can't see him again." Speaking the words brought the sadness crashing back into him. "Having said that... I would like to see you again. Not all vampires are like me, some of them would hurt you. And I don't want that to happen." Blaine managed a half-smile as he reached out to caress the other man's cheek. "If you're okay with us just being like this?"

"If it means we do this again? Definitely." The young man grinned and stole a quick kiss. He knew there wouldn't be any lingering romance between them, but that was fine. With his studying and work, he didn't have much time for romance anyway. This was direct and easy, and it helped them both. No downside as far as he could see. "But I really do need to get going for now." He snatched Blaine's phone up from the nightstand and tapped his number in quickly. "Just in case. I'll come by the club again, but... y'know... call. If you just want to talk, call, okay?" There was enough to do before class on Monday that Jeremiah knew he'd regret it if he didn't get some sleep before dawn, so he took a few moments to pull himself together, vowing to shower once he was home and had the drive to bother.

"I mean it about calling if you need somebody to talk to. You won't be bugging me or anything. Call." After a second to make sure that Blaine really did believe him, Jeremiah offered a blinding grin and headed outside into the crisp night air. It felt good against his warm cheeks. The night had been a hell of a lot more interesting than he'd anticipated. The guys were going to flip when he filled them in.

Blaine thanked Jeremiah softly again, and watched the other man depart with a sense of forlorn distress. He didn't want to be alone, because loneliness brought back the immense sadness he felt over losing Kurt. Closing his eyes against the crushing pain, Blaine reached for a remote control on the nightstand and pressed a button. Special shades crafted especially for vampires descended and filled the room with darkness. Soon the sun would rise, and in those hours of slumber, he could at least find oblivion again...

*****

Outside, Mordred watched from the shadows as the comely mortal left the other vampire's apartment. He had spotted the pair leaving the club earlier in the night, latching onto the idea of finding a suitable victim who met his needs. Already hysteria was beginning to rise in the small town. But to ignite the fuse on the powder keg waiting to erupt, there needed to be a death. It was a pity, really. After all, this particular mortal had some definite potential. "Heading home?" Mordred asked, stepping out of the darkness and into Jeremiah's path.

Jeremiah came up short at the unexpected address and found himself even more taken aback by how strikingly gorgeous the man speaking to him was. "Uh, yeah. Long night." Strange night. Good night. But none of those things really mattered to someone he'd never seen before in his life. "Just... visiting a friend." Jeremiah wasn't sure why he'd even bothered to tack on that little tidbit of information when he probably should have been heeding the warning sirens sounding in his head.

Mordred tilted his head as if considering the mortal's statement. Then, a knowing smile lit up his handsome features. "Must be a very good friend, and a lucky one at that," he remarked, taking in the unmistakable aroma of sex. Noting the fresh fang marks blemishing the other man's lovely throat, Mordred took a step closer. "Tell me, would you mind walking me home? It's not far, and I would feel a lot safer in your company." Reaching out, he brushed elegant fingers over one of Jeremiah's arms, and clarified, "Have you not heard of the recent attacks in the area?"

"Oh... uh, no. I don't get out here very often," Jeremiah confessed, finding himself unable to blow the guy off. "Things seemed pretty quiet." Hell, he was hot and he seemed nice and it wasn't like the thing with Blaine was serious. That had been made clear enough. Just because they might get together and screw again certainly didn't constitute a commitment. So why not enjoy a little time with the gorgeous guy at his side? Conscience settled, Jeremiah offered, "No problem keeping you company, though. I'm Jeremiah."

"Jeremiah," Mordred echoed, his smile warm and seductive. "Pretty name." In an instant, his features turned cold and cruel as he bared his fangs and lunged for the mortal's throat. Growling wildly, Mordred tore into the fresh wounds as he slammed Jeremiah against the nearest wall. His punishing grasp left the other man without a hope of struggling against him as he gulped down the river of delicious blood which overflowed into his mouth. Although loathing the idea of wasting a drop of the precious elixir, Mordred allowed an overabundance of the crimson tide to spill. The scene had to be as brutal as possible. Hysteria in the small town was growing, and this act would bring it to the boiling point. Gasping against Jeremiah's throat, Mordred let the drained and lifeless body fall to the ground for the mortals to find.