Temptation's Mate: Chapter Seven

Shaking off the fog of his spell, Kurt stiffened as a violent wave of fury pulsed through the tunnel. Something was charging toward them and he did not have to be a pure blooded demon to know that whatever it was intended harm.

The thought had scarcely fluttered through his brain before Blaine scooped him off his feet and bolted across the cavern to a narrow tunnel that Kurt hadn't noticed until that moment.

"Blaine," Kurt breathed, as fear snaked up his spine.

"Just hold onto me, dear one. I shall let no harm come to you."

Kurt obeyed. Wrapping his arms around the vampire's neck he unashamedly clung to him, knowing that without Blaine he would be stumbling across the darkened cavern. Few things, even in the demon world, could match a vampire's speed.

Few things, save the creature currently chasing after them, Kurt realized with a stab of regret.

No matter how swiftly Blaine sped through the tunnels or how often he darted into the corridors, their pursuer continued to grow ever closer.

"We will never outrun it," Kurt breathed.

"I fear you are right." Coming to a grudging halt, Blaine placed Kurt on his feet, his beautiful features grim. "As flight is not an option, it appears we must fight."

Kurt gave a sharp shake of his head. "No."

"No?"

"This is not your battle," Kurt said, unconsciously pressing his hands to Blaine's chest. "You're only here because of me. You can escape. I will distract-"

Fury crossed over Blaine's face and he let loose another string of incoherent curses before grabbing Kurt and kissing him with ferocious need.

"I will not leave you," he vowed against Kurt's mouth, "I will never leave you."

"Blaine-"

With a firm motion Blaine thrust Kurt back and turned to place himself between the warlock and the approaching danger.

"Stay behind me."

Kurt smacked him in the middle of the back, as infuriated with himself as he was with Blaine.

It was not that he regretted his decision to rescue Noah. Even if it meant facing his own death, Kurt would not leave his brother to rot. Kurt was upset because he had not known that an unfortunate consequence of his decision would be endangering Blaine.

Kurt had always known Blaine desired him in his bed, but it had never occurred to him that the vampire would allow that desire to drag him into Kurt's dangerous quest. Blaine had not survived for so long by being reckless.

The thought that Blaine might be hurt or even worse…it was too horrific for Kurt to bear. The crushing weight of guilt bore down on him, strangling the breath from his body as he realized that Blaine's peril was his fault.

"Damn you. Damn you and your interference and damn you and you penchant for playing hero. Damn you, Blaine," Kurt chanted as he beat his fist upon the vampire's back.

"I was damned many centuries before you were ever conceived," Blaine assured Kurt smoothly. "And stop, you will only hurt your hands. Now, quiet yourself and let us hope the creature seeks easier prey."

Kurt sucked in a breath. "Have you any idea what the demon may be?"

"It reeks of Jinn…but something is off. It's impure somehow."

"Jinn? Are you certain?"

"Unfortunately."

"I…I thought the Jinn were a myth."

Blaine shrugged. "Surely a warlock would be aware of the depravity of witches."

Kurt bristled. "A vampire has no room to throw about the label of depravity. Ripped the throats from any babes lately, my lord?"

Blaine ignored the jab. "Jinn are no myth; there just are scant few of them that survived the Council's order of extermination. Those that did were forbidden from mingling with humans and reside in the underworld. After the purging, witches were forbidden by the Council to create more. Though every so often one of the remaining Jinn will flaunt the restrictions placed upon them and come up to the surface, they do not cause this type of chaos and confusion. A Jinn explains the fey prisoners and Sam's increased vigilance."

Kurt paled. "Jinn…Jinn feed upon the magic, especially that of the Fey."

Blaine's gaze sharpened on Kurt. "Your mother…Sam said-"

"I know. But I have no magic for the Jinn to feed upon so I imagine he will content himself dashing me to bits of blood and bone."

"No harm shall come to you."

Kurt cocked his head to the side. "And how do you suppose we go about defeating a Jinn? And what did you mean when you said it's impure?"

"We can't defeat it. We can only hope to outsmart it. And I can't explain it, but it's not pure Jinn. There's another scent underneath…muted but there, vaguely calling to me."

"So there is some manner of demon involved?"

"Yes, but…I cannot explain it, dear one. I only know this is no ordinary Jinn."

Even though he knew it was coming, Kurt felt a cry of terror being wrenched from his throat as the creature appeared out of the darkness and launched itself forward. To Kurt's surprise the Jinn was not a foul, snarling beast but its form was that of a human. Human form or no, there was nothing reassuring about the beast, in fact there was something highly unnerving about the delicately carved features and thick mane of ginger curls that gave the creature a luminous beauty when combined with the naked lust for pain and blood shining through its bright, blue eyes.

Blaine went stock still in front of Kurt. Pain lanced through the vampire at the sight of the Jinn.

It was his Jeremiah.

Sensing Blaine's distress but having no idea for the reason behind it, Kurt clutched his mother's amulet in his hand and futilely wracked his brain for a spell. Not that he possessed the power to actually harm the Jinn, but he might be able to distract him long enough for-

There was an unholy roar and Blaine launched himself forward, his fangs extended, his nails sharpened, eyes blackened and the demon within him fully on display.

Kurt instinctively scrambled back, wise enough to give the two ferocious predators plenty of room to battle. He not only sought to keep himself from being crushed between the two powerful demons, but he needed room to draw his circle if he was struck by inspiration.

Not that inspiration was forthcoming as he sat by in fascinated horror and watched the furious battle play out before him. His heart sank as he realized there was no chance of casting a spell without risking Blaine.

Kurt's stomach tied into knots as the two warriors savagely fought, Blaine's fangs ripping deep gouges into Jeremiah's perfect skin as he shoved him against the wall. In retaliation Jeremiah filled the air with staccato jolts of energy that rattled the cavern and sent jagged rocks raining down upon Blaine's head.

As he caught the scent of Blaine's blood, Kurt's eyes widened in terror. As a vampire, Blaine would not bleed to death but the loss of blood would quickly drain his strength.

Blaine again slammed the beast against the cavern wall, his fangs striking out over and over with sickening force. Jeremiah, however, appeared indifferent to his injuries.

No, it was more than mere indifference. The blue eyes sparkled with unmistakable pleasure as if he relished the pain, or was simply enjoying the battle. In either case, Kurt got the distinct impression that the Jinn was simply toying with Blaine and that when he tired of the game something unspeakably horrific was going to happen to the both Kurt and Blaine.

Jeremiah switched their positions, pinning Blaine to cavern wall and pressed his lips to the vampire's ear. "You always did leave a mark, my love." Blaine growled, but Jeremiah held fast to him. "Tell me, Blaine," he said casting a disgusted look at Kurt, "When did you start playing with pretty porcelain dolls? Is he as deliciously breakable as he seems?"

"Jeremiah?"

I'm surprised you remember my name, seeing as how you obviously haven't lacked for company for the last few centuries. Tell me, have you had fun whoring your way throughout the globe while I was starved, beaten, and tortured in your stead?"

"You were lost to me. I searched for you from one end of this earth to the other, destroying any and all manner of witches that dared cross my path as I sought to get you back. There wasn't a corner in hell in which I did not travel to trying to find you," Blaine hissed.

"Every corner save the one I kept in apparently. Don't fret though, eventually I tired of waiting on my prince to come and decided to save myself. Of course, that required convincing the harpies that held me that I was broken and loyal to them, but after slaughtering a few thousand villagers and beheading an unfortunate vamp every now and again, they bought it."

"You murdered our kind?" Blaine asked, horrified.

"Our kind was responsible for my imprisonment in the first place," Jeremiah snapped. "I did what I had to do and you, who have laid waste to entire cities and draining the blood of men, women and babe alike, are in no position to judge me."

"But how-"

"How was I transformed? It took a couple of centuries but once I seduced the coven leader, turning the others and convincing them to infuse me with the powers of a Jinn was child's play."

"If they infused you-"

"Yes, it nearly drained them dry of their powers. That was unfortunate for them but rather lucky for me, it made them incredibly easy to kill."

Blaine's closed his eyes. The beast before him was not his Jeremiah. His Jeremiah had been ruthless when the need arose but did not delight in murder and lust for death. Whatever had befallen him in the centuries they had been separated had turned him, quite literally into a monster.

"Don't fret love. I'll make yours a quick death, for old time's sake. But as for your companion," Jeremiah sent a malicious smirk towards Kurt, "As you so thoughtfully released all my prisoners I find myself in need of a shiny new toy. I can't wait to find out if he tastes as good as he looks."

A red haze settled over Blaine and he shoved himself off the wall, any lingering affection for Jeremiah dying at his threats to Kurt. The idea of any, even his former lover, touching his mate drove Blaine past the point of insanity.

"Your mate?" Jeremiah's voice boomed in the cavern, infuriated by the thought he had ripped from Blaine's psyche. "You replaced me with a bag of bones so worthless that he can't even assist you in battle? You'd mark him, bind yourself to him for eternity, and give him the completion you denied me?"

"I never understood why I hesitated to mark you-"

"You promised me, you swore to me I would rule at your side and then you failed me."

"You failed to heed my warning. I told you to remain behind; you defied me and sacrificed the lives of several of our brothers in the process."

"They were no brothers of mine," Jeremiah spat. "Had you marked me you could have found me, we would have been connected."

"How can you say such things? They WERE your brothers, my fledglings, same as you."

"They were nothing like me. You chose them; but I chose you. You were mine and you swore you'd never replace me and now you come into my domain with that…scrap of flesh meaning for him to take my place. You should have marked me. You should have mated with me. I should have ruled and instead I was taken and tortured. You owe me and your mate shall pay the toll."

Blaine felt every bit of affection he'd ever had for Jeremiah die at the hate filled words of his former lover. "I regretted for centuries not making you my mate, right up until I met Kurt and then the longing ceased. Seeing you now, hearing you speak, I realize why I hesitated. You were never meant to be my mate; it was always Kurt," Blaine returned.

Jeremiah's face contorted with rage. "I've changed my mind. I shan't kill you yet. I'm going to shatter your bones, leave you helpless and hurting and make you watch. It's been awhile since I used my fangs but for him…for you, I'll make an exception. Do you want to know what I'm going to do to your mate, Blaine?"

"You won't touch him."

"Oh, but I will," Jeremiah countered. "I'm going to hold him down, plunge my fangs into his jugular and drain him until he's almost dry, until his limbs are heavy and his heart is barely beating."

"Bastard," Blaine snarled, taking a chunk out of Jeremiah's shoulder.

"And while he's lying there, floating between this world and the next, that's when I'll take him," Jeremiah continued, paying his injury no heed. "I'll take him hard and fast, make it hurt, make him want to scream and cry out but he'll be too weak. I'll drag my nails across his skin and leave trails of blood. I'll lap it up and rip into his flesh while he whimpers and quivers in fear. I'll make him suffer, I'll make him beg, I'll drain him dry and the entire time, you'll be watching," Jeremiah swore.

An inhuman sound was torn from Blaine's throat as he pounced on Jeremiah, pinning his former lover beneath him and tearing into him with a ferocity that both startled and frightened Kurt.

Thrown into a panic at the Jinn's threats, Kurt found himself frantically searching his pockets, as if he might discover a hidden weapon. It was hardly shocking that he had little more than a bit of lint and his father's crystal. He had come to the docks to rescue Noah, not to wage war with one of the most powerful creatures in the underworld.

Kurt cursed in frustration, curling his hands into fists.

He gave a jump of surprise when the crystal abruptly flared with heat, almost as if it were feeding off his frenzied energy.

With a frown Kurt opened his hand, realizing that soft glow that always surrounded the crystal when he held it was gone and it was instead burning bright, and the pulsing center seeming to echo his heartbeat.

For years Kurt had attempted to call upon any gifts his Caereni blood might have bestowed upon him with little more to show for it than minor hexes, an odd assortment of illusions and lingering headaches. Now though, he could actually feel an echo of power darting through his body.

Before he could consider the consequences, Kurt heard a low rumble from the Jinn.

The bastard was laughing. A sickening horror filled Kurt as the now familiar sensation of electricity swirled through the air. He had suspected bad things would happen should Jeremiah grow weary of his games. Now his suspicions seemed to be on the edge of being fulfilled.

Instinctively he charged forward, seeking to protect Blaine, but it was already too late. With a shove Jeremiah freed himself from Blaine, sending the vampire flying into the far corner of the cavern wall. Dazed by the brutal impact Blaine panted on his hands and knees, his normally bronze skin pale, his face marred with blood and his arm hanging at an awkward angle. Without a word of warning, Jeremiah raised his hand and a sizzling bolt of lightning erupted from the tip of his finger.

Kurt was blinded by the violent burst of light, his ears ringing as the solid rock of wall behind him shattered. Kurt cried out as he ran to Blaine and dropped to his knees beside the vampire's unmoving form. He leaned over him, wrapping his arms around Blaine in an attempt to protect him.

"Blaine," Kurt breathed, pain blooming fresh in his heart as he held him close planting frantic kisses all over his face. "Blaine, I'm so sorry, please be ok. Please be ok."

"Must you simper?" Jeremiah's voice derided from the corner. "Well Porcelain, it appears it's just you and me now. Whatever shall we do?"

Kurt barely registered Jeremiah's words as he tasted Blaine's blood on his lips and felt the dampness of his own tears rolling down his cheeks. As consumed by his grief as he was, Kurt was mindful of the sense of Jeremiah growing ready to pounce.

Did he intend to simply kill them both or was he going to make good on his threats?

Squeezing his eyes shut Kurt refused to accept failure. If he could not defeat Jeremiah then he would find a way to escape with Blaine so that he might return with help to free Noah.

An easy enough task if only Kurt had any practical magic.

If he were a pureblood Caereni or practicing witch then he would have been capable of producing a portal that could move them from place to place within the blink of an eye. His father had been particularly skilled in the art, using it as a means of escape on more than one occasion.

But of course Kurt had never managed more than a weak gateway that collapsed the moment he attempted to enter it…and even that attempt had left him exhausted and drained for days afterwards.

He knew he had little chance of creating and sustaining a portal that could handle the transport of not only his energy but Blaine's as well. But however slim the possibility he had to try.

Kurt poured his energy into the crystal still clutched in his hand, along with his mother's amulet. If he ever needed his parent's assistance, it was now.

Burying his face in Blaine's neck he willed the portal to form around them. Kurt sent up a fervent prayer that he would not kill them both as Jeremiah advanced towards them.

Blaine could feel Kurt wrap himself around him, obviously attempting to protect him from Jeremiah. With an ancient curse he struggled to regain command of his battered body to push him aside.

Blaine would not allow Kurt to be harmed, even if it meant his own death.

His uncharacteristic flare of heroism was rudely interrupted as Kurt tightened his arms around him and the entire world shifted beneath them.

As a vampire, Blaine was incapable of sensing magic but he could not fail to notice the tunnel melting away to utter blackness before he landed with jarring force on a damp cobblestone street with the night air blowing in his face.

Briefly disconcerted, he held himself perfectly still, slowly coming to the realization that he was in the middle of London with Kurt passed out on top of him.

He rolled to one side, carefully cradling his mate in his arms as he scanned the area around them.

Bloody hell.

Kurt must have created a portal to rescue both of them, but at what cost to him?

The stench wafting through the air warned him that they were still dangerously close to the docks, but there was no scent of Jeremiah. Nor was there a hint of any other predators that might do them harm in their weakened conditions.

Sensing one of his servants hurrying in their direction, Blaine gingerly rose to his feet, holding Kurt against his chest. As an unfamiliar storm of emotion battered his dead heart he noted Kurt's unnatural paleness and the pain that twisted his features even as he slumbered.

Kurt had come dangerously close to draining himself beyond the point of no return.

"Jesse," he called softly, knowing the vampire would hear him despite being several blocks away. "Find a carriage."

"Yes, master."

There was a short delay, during which Blaine considered taking Jesse's head on general principle then finally the sound of horseshoes striking the cobblestones broke the still of the night. Blaine watched an elegant black carriage turn the corner and come to a halt in front of them.

Leaping from the driver's bench, the slender, brown haired vampire paused briefly to calm the nervous horses before falling to his knees in front of Blaine.

"Master." Although attired in fine silk and smooth linen, with his brown hair swept back to reveal his handsome face there was no masking the malevolence that cloaked Jesse. Even as a human he had delighted in torturing his contemporaries, subjecting them to cruel taunts and varying jabs from his sharp tongue before showing his dominance. As a vampire he was a warrior, poised to kill at Blaine's command and always ready to prove that there were none more fearsome or powerful than him. Straightening, the young vampire narrowed his gaze as he took in Blaine's slowly healing wounds and the unconscious male draped across his master's arms. "You must feed, master. Shall I go find a human or would you prefer I bring you a host?"

"Neither. I will feed later." Blaine dismissed his need to feed in favor of getting himself and Kurt to safety. "Return us to Wildwind."

"Yes Master."

With a blur of motion Jesse pulled open the carriage door, waiting for Blaine to settle on the leather cushion before slamming it shut and returning to his seat atop the coach. Then with a simple command to the horses he had them racing through the narrow streets with a reckless indifference for any human or demon unfortunate to cross their path.

Within a half hour they were wheeling up the long drive to the isolated manor. As they pulled up to the wide veranda, Blaine did not wait for the carriage to come to a halt, simply opening the door and leaping onto the flagstone courtyard. With the same impatience, he charged up the stairs, toward the double doors.

As he reached the entry, Mike appeared, opening the door and stepping aside so that his master could enter. "Michael," Blaine called, crossing the marble floor and heading towards his private chambers.

With a speed that was remarkable even for a vampire, the warrior appeared at Blaine's side, his brows arching as he caught sight of Kurt in Blaine's arms.

"Do you wish me for me to locate a healer?"

Pausing before the door at the end of the corridor, Blaine released a trickle of power to open the heavy locks. Mike hovered uncertainly in the hallway, not following after his master. No one, save Nick, was allowed in Blaine's private chambers without his permission.

"Come Michael and no, not yet."

Blaine glanced down at Kurt, a frustrated fury pulsing through him at the visible bruises beneath his closed eyes and the sickly pallor of his skin. He looked every bit like the fragile porcelain doll Jeremiah had accused him of being; Blaine bitterly acknowledged before he viciously pushed the thought away.

Kurt was not broken, he not was dying. He was merely exhausted. Blaine would accept nothing less.

"I said you may enter Michael," he growled out. As the younger vampire crossed the threshold, Blaine turned to him. "You have the food prepared?"

"Yes. The chef," A brief look of nostalgia crossed Mike's features as he uttered the word since it had been hundreds of years since he'd last tasted solid food, "was most uncooperative, complaining about being dragged from his bed and then insisting none of the markets were open and he could not prepare a meal without the necessary ingredients."

Blaine quirked his lips. "I assume you managed to convince him to comply with your request?"

A broad grin broke out on Mike's face. "I explained to Mr. Figgins the folly in denying the request. He has promised a seven course meal would be awaiting your approval."

Blaine smiled. He did not have to imagine just how Mike had won the chef's cooperation. Figgins was notorious for having a deathly fear of vampires, often draping himself in cloves of garlic and crucifixes.

Blaine wondered when the poor fool would figure out both were old wives tales and neither offered him any protection should one of Blaine's kind seek to feed off him. "Ensure he keeps it warm until Kurt recovers."

Mike gave a dip of his head. "The uh, guests have been removed from the property-much to Master Nick's chagrin and Madame Berry has been set upon Schuester. The upper chambers have been prepared for your…uh, Kurt."

Blaine's arms tightened on Kurt. "Master Nick will get over it and that won't be necessary. Kurt is to remain with me."

Open shock rippled across Mike's face. "But…"

"You have something to say Michael?"

"It will soon be dawn."

"I am well aware of the hour."

Mike's gaze shifted to the man lying Blaine's arms. "You are taking him to your lair? You are taking him to your private lair, this close to the dawn?"

Blaine's lips twisted; he did not entirely blame Mike. Blaine had never, in all Mike's years of service to him, shared his private quarters with another.

Blaine had permitted none in his lair since Jeremiah.

And Blaine had never shared his lair with one unaware of his status as a daywalker. Kurt would be in for a rather interesting shock when he awakened.

"Your swift grasp of the situation is what I have always admired about you, Michael. Tell Nikolas we must speak when he rises." Blaine said, stepping into the opulent room that was his lair.

Expecting his command to be obeyed, Blaine slammed shut the door and crossed the floor to lie Kurt down upon the bed. As he was covering him with a thick fur blanket in an attempt to ward off the chill of the house, Blaine froze, dumbfounded by the sensations that began rattling his very bones. Sensations he had not noticed in his haste to get Kurt to safety

In the sanctuary of his lair he could no longer ignore them. He could feel Kurt. Not just as a vampire conscious of a half breed or the awareness of a man lusting after a lover. It was a connection that came from deep within him, more powerful than the one he had to his fledglings and almost as powerful as the connection he shared with Nikolas.

Nikolas...Blaine's brother. It was little wonder Blaine was connected to Nikolas, he was Blaine's blood, his family.

But Kurt…could it be?

Barely aware he was moving, Blaine leaned down with a jerk rent in two the shirt that Kurt was wearing.

"Bloody hell."

Blaine allowed his gaze to study the intricate crimson tattoo forming on Kurt's chest. The mark was unmistakable; it was one of a kind, belonging only to Blaine. It was the first of his bonding seals.

The mating process had begun. Even if it were never completed they were bonded. Blaine had no idea how or when but he had given Kurt his mark.

A mark that meant irrevocably and for eternity Blaine was bound to Kurt.

And Kurt was bound to him.