"Relatives only," Henri said kindly, seeing the infatuation in Joey's face for Josh. Fascination Joey was desperately trying to hide, but couldn't, not from their vampire eyes.
Almost ready to hiss like a scalded cat, Pete stared Joey's woebegone expression.
"Well Josh," Pete said coolly, "Everyone knows me as your cousin Pete. Isn't that nice?'
"Right, cousin Pete. This is Joey who I bunk with, and Amy. Thomas went out clubbing with friends. Paul, Marcia, Joanie and Tan went out too,"
"Hi Pete," Amy said cheerfully, "Are you sure we can't come along?" She put her arm possessively around Josh's waist, earning herself glares from both Joey and Pete.
"Positive," Pete managed to say politely.
"Hold it, I did not say Pete and Josh could go clubbing. Those were your words Henri not mine. Why don't you, Joey and Amy go out together? You make for such a lovely group," Christov protested.
Amy grinned at Josh, "I think that's a brilliant idea. Unless, Joey didn't you say you had a head ache when Marcia asked you to go clubbing with her? I think you should stay here. Josh and I will go out. Right Josh?"
Henri said rapidly, "This is a family night. Sorry, mademoiselle."
"Forget it," Joey said tightly, "Amy why don't we go to the Bar Chicago? And leave Josh alone with his family. Josh, see you later tonight. I'll try not to snore, lover."
Henri quickly slammed his hand over Pete's mouth before Pete could bare his fangs at Joey.
"Is Christov Pete's boyfriend? They look so cute together," Amy whispered into Josh's ear.
Smiling sweetly, Christov said cloyingly "I have clients not boyfriends."
"Clients?" Amy said innocently, then the truth dawned on her, "You're a hooker?"
"Yes!!" Chrisotv said cheerfully.
"Nooo," Amy squealed, "Can I have your autograph? I never met a for real live hooker."
"Uh, sure," Christov said, signing a napkin for her with a false name.
Dying from embarrassment, feeling more dead then he already was, Pete almost yelped, He's kidding! Instead Pete said in a frozen voice you could chip with an ice pick, "Josh let's go."
"You're not really dressed for clubbing, Pete. Do you want to borrow some of my clothes? You could come in the bedroom and change I'll help you find something," Josh said, sweat above his upper lip.
"Do you want Pete to rip your clothes off your back?" Christov snorted
Looking nervously at the camera man, Josh squeaked, "Let's go."
Once outside, Andre sided up to the group.
"Thought Id check in," Andre said, looking delectable in a fawn colored baggy sweater and right fitting jeans.
"Why did you introduce me as your cousin?" Pete said furiously, punching Josh in the arm.
"There's no need for violence," Henri said idily.
"Why was that Joey person almost kissing you?" Pete yelled.
Ow, ow, stop pinching me Pete. I'm being blackmailed by Mr. Links one of the producers of the show. He said he would sue me for lying on my Real World application. I told everyone I was straight."
"So manipulate the guy's mind,' Andre said impatiently.
"I tried. That mind of his has more twists and turns and dead ends than a lawyer's mind," Josh pleaded.
"Ah," the other vampires said with mock seriousness.
"Yes, the slippery, nefarious mind of a television producer is hard to break into," Andre said solumly, "It takes a master vampire skilled in the manipulative art of mind control to grapple with the horrid mind of those type."
"And he also asked me to sleep with him. He promised me movie deals," Josh stammered.
"And the problem is?" Christov said cryptically.
"It will be my pleasure to kill him for you Josh," Andre said pleasantly.
"You can't kill him. I promised dads no one connected with the show would get killed."
"You worry too much," Andre said, barring his beautiful fangs, "It will be my pleasure I said."
"Do you want to face Damion about something like this?" Josh said soberly.
"You may be afraid of your father with his saint's face and tender sighs, and his moanfull reproaches, but I am not," Andre said loftily.
"It's not like he'll burn the house over Josh's head, but your head Andre," Christov grinned.
"You're brave Andre. I find you to be amazingly brave," Henri said happily.
"What's there to be scared of? Damion going on and on. His pained expression, his monotone lecturing drilling without pity into your soul. The paralytic feeling of helplessness one gets as Damion starts in on you. The way he makes you feel like you're a moronic child. Till you can't take it anymore, and want to scream, and scream. Oh my God, what am I doing!" Andre cried, starting to sweat, "Pete I have to take you right back to New Orleans. Now!"
""No, Andre you can't take me back to New Orleans," Pete pleaded, "I don't want go. You can't make me."
"It's none of Damion's business if Pete stays here in Chicago. Pete isn't here to see Josh,' Christov insisted.
"It doesn't matter. Besides Josh you have to leave Chicago too. Pressing matters concerning are forcing me to leave for New York tonight. All of you need to go home. Now."
"You're chickening out," Josh complained.
"No, I'm coming to my senses," Andre said calmly.
"Whatever, Pete is staying here. Josh you can go home," Christov smirked.
"Wait a minute," Henri cried, "Andre, Christov where are your hearts?"
"Mine is in a safety deposit box,' Christov said, "Andre?"
"Two thousand leagues under the sea," Andre said, "Josh I promised Damion and more importantly I promised Daniel I would protect you. I can't protect you from New York Come along Josh we will fly out to New Orleans tonight."
"I'll protect Josh," said a voice coming out of Josh's second worst nightmare. His dads being his first worst nightmare.
"Michael," Henri said surprised.
His thumbs hooked in his tight black, denim jeans, a denim blue shirt on his slender chest, his long coal black hair falling about his oval face, Michael gave them a little wave of his hand.
Micheal smirked, "I'll take care of Christov, and Henri, and Pete."
"And our little dog too if we had one," Christov smirked.
" I'll take care of all of you all," Michael said, "Josh included."
Nervously leaning closer to Josh, Pete said, "I thank you unless you plan on trying to come between Josh and I."
"Spend all the time you want with your day walker," Michael sneered, "I'm only doing this as a favor to you, Pete"
"Fine, you take care of Josh. And if anything happens to Josh," Andre said his fangs glittering with dagger sharp menace "I get to take care of you."
"Excellent," Michael said, his fangs just as cruel, "Children I do believe we are going clubbing together."
"Josh and I are going clubbing. Alone. Thanks Andre," Pete said.
"Don't I get a thank you too, Josh? Pete?" Michael said in a low voice.
"Thank you Michael," Pete said coldly.
Josh could hear the discomfort and frustration in Pete's voice. Putting a comforting arm around Pete's shoulders, Josh said in a false, cheerful voice, "Thank you Michael. You're not such a bad guy after all."
Leaving together, and leaving the others behind, Josh basked in Pete's closeness feeling elated "Where does my boy friend want to go?"
"Any place as long as you're there," Pete said fearlessly, "And no one else. If I see any other vampires, or any of your roommates, I'll scream."
"Even the coven you saw in the cemetery?"
"Any vampire," Pete cried, laughing, throwing his arms around Josh giving him a hot lingering kiss
"How about doing something kinky? Lest's go to The Cell Block."
"The Cell Block?" Pete sad suspiciously.
"It's a bar for leather masters and their slaves."
"So who is the master and who is the slave?' Pete teased.
We're each other's slaves," Josh teased, "Seriously, it's dark, very dark in there. And if we can talk a couple leather masters into having a very private orgy someplace with a couple of twinks."
"We can go for a total kill,' Pete said thirstily.
Going to the black painted door of the bar, the widows painted pitch black. loud, pounding music roaring out of the door's crack, Pete said nervously "Are you sure about this?"
Our drinks are awaiting," Josh said cheerfully, opening the door, being engulfed by the music.
tbc