Disclaimer: CSI and Ocean’s Eleven or any other fandoms mentioned in the story are not mine. The names of the all characters contained here-in are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer and CB and various other producers. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and no money is made of it.

 

Disclaimer 2: This story was written as a tribute to the wonderful universe created by Beverly (Bjjones). Her Sylum Stories and the entire world she’s created made me write this. Sylum and the universe is hers, I just play with it.

 

 

Live to love another day

 

By Valerie

 

+Prologue+

 

“Before I ever ran a casino or got myself blown up, Ace Rothstein was a hell of a handicapper, I can tell you that. I was so good, that whenever I bet, I could change the odds for every bookmaker in the country. I'm serious. I had it down so cold that I was given paradise on earth. I was given one of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas to run, the Tangiers by the only kind of guys that can actually get you that kind of money: sixty-two million, seven-hundred thousand dollars. I don't know all...”

 

Nick shook his head in disbelief as he heard Robert de Niro’s grumbling voice talk about the life and gambling in Vegas and saw Greg and Warrick in front of the TV. Walking slowly his smile grew tender as his eyes fell on Warrick curled up on the couch, clutching a cushion to his chest, mouth slightly open as he slept. Unexpected love flooded Nick and he closed his eyes at the emotions before he kneeled down next to his mate.

 

“Hey, tough guy, why don’t you sleep in our bed?”

 

The soft words and the caressing hand woke Warrick and alerted Greg to his presence. The younger man just waved, his eyes glued to the screen as the drama around the casino king evolved.

 

“Greggo, why are you watching this?”

 

Nick and Warrick shared a smile when they didn’t get an answer and Nick repeated the question a bit louder, this time Greg turned around and paused the movie.

 

“Because it’s cool, you know it’s like old style Las Vegas. Now we just get stupid guys walking in and shooting everyone or normal people going crazy murdering their neighbours. But this, this was like, you know man, cool.”

 

Once again the two vampires shared a smile, but then Warrick shook his head and got up. Nick followed him towards their bedroom, yet just at the door he turned around again.

 

“Believe me Greggo, we’ve been there and it wasn’t cool.”

 

Pouting Greg remained back in the living room, then he stared back at the frozen image and shrugged until a grin lit his face again.

 

“Ok, Nick the mob wasn’t fun, but the rat pack and you know all those gentlemen stories and robberies, they are fun!”

 

He couldn’t see Nick’s face, but he was sure that the vampire had the kind of exasperated look he often got around him.

 

“I’m sure it was fun. I’ve just been born in the wrong time.”

 

Back in their bedroom, Warrick grinned at Nick’s growl, then slowly drew his mate down on the bed and towards him. Soft hands caressed and enflamed at the same, when Nick turned around once again.

 

“The sad thing is, Greg is right, those intricate cons and stunts that were performed without any violence and just worked, they were fun.”

 

Laughing and gasping at the hands that suddenly had wandered south, Warrick pulled Nick into a hard kiss. He had seen the glint in his mate’s eyes and it made his head spin just as much as the kiss.. Nick had always been the warrior, the law enforcer, the cop, he on the other hand had played on both sides of legality and sometimes he thought that a bit of his ‘free spirit’ had rubbed off on Nick.

 

The thought alone made him smile.

 

---

 

+Chapter 1+

 

*Los Angeles*

 

He was bored.

 

It wasn’t the first time this night that Rusty Ryan thought this. But as he watched the two women dance in the glass window, the thought came back with a vengeance. This was a fucking miserable way to spend his life, especially since he knew how much better it could be. Hell, he had pulled some great jobs, and even if it was himself saying this, he was one of the best in his business.

 

Rolling the whiskey glass in his hands, he wondered what the fuck he was doing in a ‘hip for its sleaze’ dance club in Hollywood. Of course he knew what he was doing here, but hey there had to be better options than teaching some teen-idols how to play poker.

 

God, he was so bored.

 

He really needed to do something with his life, something positive, like a real cool big con for a change. The thought made him smile for a moment, but the smile faltered immediately, no con no matter how big would change the boredom, the depression he felt. It wouldn't be the same, he wouldn't be there...

 

Sighing lightly he swallowed the rest of the drink, knowing that soon, he would have to go back and teach his ‘kids’ some more lessons about poker. Sliding from the bar stool, he made his way through the club towards the back door never noticing the admiring looks both men and women sent his direction. Tall, blond, blue-eyed with an easy going attitude, Rusty was the kind of man other men wanted to be friends with while women wanted to bed him. It had certainly helped on several jobs and he had learned early that sometimes a charming smile got him more information than the most elaborate plan.

 

A young woman reached out and grabbed his arm pulling him against her body.

 

“Where to, handsome? You look bored, I am sure I can show you a good time.”

 

Rusty shook his head and removed her hand from his arm with a gentle yet firm grip. She was petite, blond with soft curves and full red lips, pretty, very pretty in fact and if petite, blond and soft curves had been his type, he wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Unfortunately his type wasn’t blond and petite, Rusty smiled sardonically at that thought, no his type wasn’t petite and certainly not blond. He liked dark, tall, strong, hard angles instead of soft curves...

 

The music got lower once he was in the back corridor and silently he sighed with relief. One more hour with the teen-idols and he would be free, although free to do what he didn’t know right now. Steeling himself, putting on the poker face he needed for more than just one reason he pushed the door open and froze.

 

Topher noticed him and with his trade mark grin, the young actor pointed towards the new man in their round.

 

“Hey Rusty, we got another player, I hope it is alright.”

 

He hadn’t seen him for over three years, but Danny still looked the same, still had the devil may care look that suited him so well, still wore expensive clothes with a kind of laissez faire attitude that spoke of wealth and although his hair was a little more sprinkled with grey it was still as black as in Rusty’s dreams. Stepping into the room, their eyes locked and Rusty knew he was trapped.

 

It was like going back in time, like those three years had never happened and suddenly the tension between them was almost tangible.

 

“What's this?”

 

He realized that it had come out harsher than intended, when he saw the slightly nervous glance that Topher sent him. Danny on the other hand just smiled.

 

“The bouncer mentioned there was a game in progress. I hope I'm not intruding.”

 

Danny had always had the ability to make everyone at ease around him within seconds and he hadn’t lost his touch in the last three years. And like in a dream Rusty felt himself falling back into their role game, his response coming instinctively as if they had planned it.

 

“Which bouncer?”

 

Again the kids sent nervous looks towards him, almost as if they feared that he would draw a gun and shoot either Danny, the bouncer or maybe even them. Rusty hid a grin at that thought; he hated weapons, never carried one, never used one. A good con didn’t require a weapon, a good con went weapon less, painless and left the victim satisfied or something akin to it.

 

“I don't remember.”

 

The dry statement made him shake his head, yet he didn’t manage to hide the grin completely and covered the slip with irony as he sat down at the table and commented towards the young actors around the table.

 

“A card player with amnesia, this should be fun.”

 

He shuffled the cards with practiced ease, his fingers moving over them almost caressingly. His eyes were still on Danny, still locked with the dark eyes of his friend, then suddenly the dark gaze moved and in an almost tangible caress Rusty felt Danny’s gaze move over his body to his fingers. They stayed on the cards and he could see the quick smile that flashed over Danny’s face, before he looked up and concentrated on the question that Topher had just asked.

 

“What do you do for a living, Mr. Ocean? If you don't mind my asking.”

 

Rusty leaned back lightly, that would be interesting, but then again he wasn’t surprised by Danny’s answer, his friend wasn’t one to spoil such opportunity cause confusion during a game of poker.

 

“Why should I mind? I just got out of prison.”

 

The long, make that very long silence at the table grew almost uncomfortable until Josh got the courage to ask, what they all wanted to know.

 

“What'd you, uh, go to prison for?”

 

Well asked question, Rusty thought as his eyes found Danny’s again. After all what Danny went to prison for and what crimes he had committed were two different pair of shoes. Still looking at Rusty, but now with a twinkle in his eyes Danny gave a vague enough answer to keep the interest going and the attention away from the game.

 

“I stole things.”

 

He was good, and Rusty knew that his eyes probably had the same look of mischief and fun than Danny’s had. It was as if those three years had never happened, the way they worked without words and preparing, the way they communicated with looks and yet there was more, something more than just friendship and partners. There had been something in Danny’s eyes when he had looked at him right at the beginning, something akin to hunger... Rusty shuddered lightly and pushed the thought aside, no need to get distracted himself.

 

“What, like jewels? Diamonds?”

 

If only, Rusty saw Danny’s grin and gave the answer that was necessary.

 

“Incan matrimonial headmasks.”

 

There was silence for a second, then the actors recovered and finally concentrated on their game.

 

---

 

He still looked the same. And just looking at him still woke the same insane feelings in him.

 

Danny didn't know what he had expected when he had joined the youngsters at the table, asking them for permission to take part in their game yet silently waiting for Rusty to come back.

 

Danny had been sure Rusty would somehow look different when he saw him first time after three years. Yet there he was sitting across the table, ‘teaching’ poor innocent Hollywood actors how to play poker and his hair was still as blond and cropped as it had been, he still had this sparkle of joy and life in the blue depths of his eyes and of course he still had that god awful dress sense.

 

And he still wanted to rip off Rusty's shirt and kiss the chest underneath it.

 

He looked at his cards and as his eyes moved over Rusty’s body he noticed the tattoo his friend wore on his forearm, for a second he lost his concentration as he stared at the black markings dumbfound. The last time he had seen Rusty his arm and hand had been unmarked...

 

A shiver ran over his body and Danny forced any thoughts about the tattoo in the background as he concentrated once again on the cards.

 

Later, when they had thoroughly emptied the teen stars pockets and retreated to a club that suited them more than the hip and trendy place before, Danny found his eyes on the intricate design again. Almost against his will, his hand reached out and he trailed the visible part of the tattoo with his fingers. Rusty’s skin was soft and warm and for a second Danny wanted to press his lips to the spot he touched. Then he felt the sudden tension in his friend’s body and with a sigh, he withdrew his hand.

 

“When did you get that?”

 

Rusty’s eyes were unreadable, he had had that gift since he’d been a young boy, this incredible talent to hide behind the charming smile and friendly look, to hide behind a mask and not let any emotions out. Danny had always admired this ability, had envied Rusty sometimes for it, but he had never felt as frustrated with it as now. Rusty was hiding from him and he didn’t understand why and even worse he didn’t understand what.

 

“When I was in Rome.”

 

Danny had heard stories about Rusty’s trip to Rome, had heard about the con he had pulled in the ancient city and while listening to the whispered stories told during long work ours in the kitchen or in the laundry room, he had cursed himself for getting caught. He could have been a part of these stories, he should have been.

 

“Quite a recognizable thing, isn’t it?”

 

For a moment the words seemed to hang between them as Rusty stared in his whiskey, and then slowly he looked up and met Danny’s eyes.

 

“I didn’t think I would have to hide again.”

 

It wasn’t the answer Danny had expected and he knew that it showed in his face, even before he asked again.

 

“But that con you pulled in Rome?”

 

This time Rusty didn’t hold his eyes instead he seemed to avoid them and that untypical behaviour worried Danny more than he liked.

 

“I didn’t get it then. I went... I went to Rome shortly after you got in. I wanted to get out.”

 

There was more to these simple words, some underlying emotion and depth that made the hackles rise in Danny’s neck, but the finality in Rusty’s words told him that the topic was closed and ticked off. Nodding in agreement, Danny leaned back a bit and took a large sip, he would leave it for now, but he would come back to it. Turning around he ordered two coffees, time to get down to business.

 

“Alright.   Tell me.”

 

The change in Rusty shouldn’t have baffled him, but Danny was still thinking about the mysterious words and the worry they had woken in him. So he jerked for a second before he understood and a warm feeling started to spread in his body. He knew that he could never have Rusty, but working with him, planning and pulling a stunt with him was the very close second best. The only thing he had to do now was market it right.

 

“It's tricky. No one's ever done it before. Needs planning, a large crew.”

 

Rule number one when dealing with Rusty Ryan: Challenge him with a ‘Mission Impossible’

 

“Guns?”

 

Rule number two: Rusty Ryan hates weapons and violence. So never suggest a con that involves either.

 

“Not loaded ones. It has to be very precise. There's a lot of security. But the take...”

 

Rule number three: If the next question isn’t about the target, forget the entire mission, have another drink and go home.

 

“What's the target?”

 

Gotcha! Danny didn’t let the relief show at the question, remained calm and played just as perfectly as he had it planned. Sometimes things were predictable.

 

“Eight figures each.”

 

He knew that he was driving Rusty nuts like this and he could see it in the slightly harder than necessary grip around the cup, in the little lines that showed around Rusty’s blue eyes. It was a great look on his friend.

 

“What's.    The.    Target?”

 

Ok, here it went, it was all or nothing and Danny almost smiled as he noticed the irony of starting a con like this with such a gamble. It fit, didn’t it?

 

“When's the last time you were in Vegas?”

 

He didn’t have to say more, he could see the wheels turning, could see Rusty adding one and one and actually getting two, when a disbelieving look crossed over the tanned face.

 

“What? You wanna knock over a casino?”

 

Something like that, yeah and taking another deep breath, Danny fixed his eyes on Rusty before he slowly shook his head and lifted three fingers. The disbelief on Rusty’s face just grew before he finally shook his head too.

 

“You’re nuts”

 

Danny smiled at the reaction and hey he had never claimed to be normal, and he didn’t care to be. Right now all he cared was the answer to his next question.

 

“Are you in?”

 

Rusty had set his coffee down and laughed lightly while still shaking his head. His laughter was full of disbelief, but there was joy and amusement in the blue sparkle of his eyes as he answered.

 

“What do you think, of course I am!”

 

---

 

+Chapter 2+

 

*Las Vegas*

 

“I need a reason. And don't say money. Why do this?”

 

Rusty saw Danny tense as they waited for the elevator, inwardly he smiled at the ease with which Danny had gotten the plans for the most secured vault on earth. He had believed in a joke when his friend had talked about the three casinos, but tonight he had realized that Danny was serious, dead serious. And knowing Danny as well as he did, he needed a reason, a real one.

 

“Why not do it?”

 

He saw the impish grin on Danny’s face as he just gave him a look at the answer. His friend might get away with this crap and a nice smile with others, but not with Rusty not with the guy who had done con’s with him since they knew each other and so, Danny sighed, before he began to talk.

 

“Because yesterday I walked out of the joint wearing my entire wardrobe and you're colddecking TeenBeat coverboys. Because the house always wins. You play long enough, never changing stakes, the house takes you. Unless, when that special hand comes around, you bet big. And then you take the house.

 

For a moment Rusty could just stare, then the laughter bubbled out of him and he looked at the floor while he still tried to control his mirth. Danny just grinned.

 

“You're been practicing that speech, haven't you?”

 

Oh God, how was he going to survive this con without jumping and kissing Danny? They had only just started to plan and already he felt as if he were constantly high. It wasn’t only Danny but also the scam they planned and yet, this bubbly, high state, this swimming in champagne feeling... He only got it around Danny and this time it was worse than ever.

 

“What do you think, Reuben will say to this?”

 

Danny just sent him a glare at the question and they shared a smile. Reuben would call them insane and tell them gruesome stories about some poor suckers that had tried to rob a casino once, but once they told him who their target was, he would come around faster than a Ferrari.

 

And that’s pretty much how it happened, Reuben’s first three words once he heard their plan were.

 

“You’re out of your goddamn minds!”

 

He sat in his green, rich Vegas garden, surrounded by lush flowers and colourful birds. And Rusty had to laugh lightly, Danny might complain about his dress sense, but at least he wasn’t stuck in the seventies like Reuben seemed to.

 

“Are you listening to me? You are, both of you, nuts. I know more about casino security than any man alive. I invented it, and it cannot be beaten. They got cameras, they got watchers, they got locks, they got timers, they got vaults. They got enough armed personnel to occupy Paris. Okay, bad example...

 

Rusty shrugged; he wouldn’t know how much armed personnel one would need to occupy Paris, he never really planned on doing so and trading glances with Danny he grinned. It was always fun to see Reuben play the ‘I am so old and so experienced’ card. Leaning back in his chair, Rusty opted to watch for a while enjoying the scene in front of his eyes as it unfolded.

 

“But what am I saying? You guys are pros, the best. I'm sure you can make it out of the casino. Of course, lest we forget, once you're out the front door, you're still in the middle of the fucking desert.”

 

Playing ‘catch Reuben’ with Danny was like riding a bike, once Rusty had learned it, he had never forgotten how it worked and like all the times before it did this time too. So when they got up and said good bye, he silently started counting to ten. He was at six when the inevitable question came.

 

“Just out of curiosity, which casinos did you geniuses pick to rob?”

 

Trading a glance Rusty gave Danny the silent go ahead, it was after all his plan and therefore he should be the one to deliver the final blow. Of course it had nothing to do with the factor, Danny looked when he was about to close a scam, nothing, really!

 

“The Bellagio, the mirage and the MGM Grand.”

 

Reuben stood still for a second, and then he slowly walked over to them. It was in this very moment that Rusty understood why some people were scared of their dear old friend. Reuben was literally prowling, every muscle tense as he approached them.

 

“What do you guys have against Terry Benedict?”

 

And that was it; they had sold their business plan.

 

Of course, once the money issue was done, the personnel issue came just more pressing and as they sat together in their dingy little flat, drawing maps and tossing ideas around, they slowly started to get a list together who they would need to make this mission impossible possible.

 

Rusty is making the lists, writing the ideas down, organizing the chaos that Danny’s brainstorming causes. It’s the way they work together, the reason they have been such a great team. Rusty is the organizer, the one who’s got the contact list, the one that brings some order and can get you any key by simply smiling at the cleaning lady and telling her with that little boy lost look that he forgot it in the gym.

 

But even more important, in this relationship in this so special team, Rusty is the perpetual pessimist, the one who questions even the slightest inconsistence, who notes even the tiniest sketchiness.

 

Danny on the other hand is the ingenious brain, the one who believes in the impossible. He had access to places other people only dreamed off and not unlike Rusty knew more people than it should be allowed. Danny could walk into a room and every person would later swear that they had known him from somewhere for a long time. He was good at making people at ease. He had the looks and the smile that made woman swoon and forget to lock their doors and yet at the same time had just the right twinkle in his eyes that made other man give him the thumbs up sign instead of bashing his head in.

 

Rusty often wondered if in another setting Danny would have turned out to be a great leader someone who had people working for him because they like him. Then again he could have become a great inventor, someone who made flying to mars possible... Of course, Rusty thought with a smile the flying to the Mars would only work, if Danny had someone working with him that made sure the spaceship had been refuelled before take off.

 

And to make it very simple, that was what Rusty was here for. Making sure everything was refuelled and no loose bolts threatened anything.

 

That’s what Rusty was here fore, but secretly he wanted to be here for much more and he wasn’t talking about the cons. He wanted to touch Danny like he had never dared to touch another man, and wanted to touch Danny in return. He had fallen for Danny, appropriately enough, in the middle of one of their second scam.

 

“So who’s in?”

 

Danny’s voice brought him back and as he looked up he saw dark eyes on him thoughtfully. The emotions in Danny’s eyes were unreadable and the intense look made him shiver, but he caught himself and started to tick off the names he had on his sheet.

 

“Frank C.”

 

Danny nodded knowing that the card dealer had already requested his transfer and was most likely already on a plane or a cab to Vegas.

 

“Drivers?”

 

Rusty looked at the next name or names.

 

“I talked to the Malloys yesterday.”

 

Something like horror crossed over Danny’s face as he asked.

 

“The Mormon twins?”

 

Knowing that the two brothers weren’t the easiest guys to get along, Rusty shrugged.

 

“They are the best.”

 

Without further prompting he continued his list.

 

“Electronics we have Livingston Dell and as long as we keep him away from the twins everything is just peachy.”

 

Danny shot him a look as he repeated the last words.

 

“Just peachy, yeah... Munitions?”

 

That was the hard question, the most obvious choice was an old friend of them who had died about a year ago, the second best person was Basher, a slightly eccentric English who admittedly was the best in his business. He would be their best choice if it weren’t for one tiny little issue about availability.

 

----

 

*Miami inside a bank*

 

A slender dark skinned man, a pair of goggles over his eyes kneeled down. The goggles reflected a match being struck, then touched to a fuse. A quick smile ran over the dark haired man’s face while he ran for cover.

 

“Sweet...”

 

Wood shards and splinters of glass flew all around; but Basher merely ducked his head and whistled happily. As the dust settled, three men moved quickly past Basher and into a dynamited bank vault. Making a light spin around himself, Basher walked into the vault, when alarm sirens began to sound. Annoyed he turned around to his three co-workers.

 

“For fuck’s sake I asked you to do one job... and you even screw that up.”

 

Resigned he held his hands up as the police entered the building.

 

---

 

*Miami, a suburban area*

 

“So Horatio, what do you think? Of for fuck’s sake...”

 

Horatio couldn’t help but smile at the annoyed face Riddick made at the ring of his phone while Tripp just stood there and watched the scene. Shaking his head he walked away and looked at the chaos in the otherwise clean room. This hadn’t been the place of a chronically disorderly person, no this mess had been made by someone who had searched for something.

 

“H, check this out!”

 

He was just about to follow Eric’s voice, when Riddick came back inside. The vampire looked stressed.

 

“There’s a robbery at the HSBC branch downtown, they got the guys, but don’t have enough people to deal with all of them. I’ll drive over.”

 

Eric walked into the living room and looked confused.

 

“Not enough people to deal with all of them?”

 

Riddick just shrugged and clasped his mate’s shoulder for a second.

 

“No idea, watch your head.”

 

Eric nodded and went back to processing the scene while Riddick drove off.

 

---

 

*Miami outside the robbed bank*

 

Danny and Rusty watched as the cops lead Basher and his team out of the bank and traded glances that spoke volumes. It was Danny who said what they both had thought.

 

“Never work with amateurs.”

 

Rusty smiled quickly, before he straightened his suit jacked, and checked himself in the dark window. Danny couldn’t help but admire and at the same time smile at Rusty’s vanity. Finally his friend grabbed a pair of sunglasses and put them on. Turning around he sent a smile towards Danny that robbed his breathe for a moment before he turned the microphone on and watched as Rusty changed from the player and daredevil into an agent of the ATF.

 

Danny loved watching Rusty during their scams, loved the fact that he could watch and observe every movement without causing suspicions and for a second his smile faltered. He had been attracted to Rusty for a long time, but with the other man being such a Ladies’ man he had never tried something. Had never hoped for anything until he had sat down on a poker table with half a dozen teen actors and looked up to see Rusty stare at him.

 

He had noticed it a couple of time since then, had seen how Rusty would look at him when he thought him to be occupied. But even more he had seen the emotions that Rusty had not been able to suppress, had seen a flash of hurt when he had flirted with the stewardess on their flight to Miami, had seen how his friend had refused to turn around after he had walked out of the bath room naked.

 

It gave him hope and taking a deep breathe Danny promised himself that he would get to the bottom of the change in their relationship before this con started. Unresolved business was dangerous while pulling a scam, but even more Danny needed to know if Rusty felt the same, because if he did then...

 

“Are you accusing me of booby-trapping?”

 

Basher’s strong cockney accent came through the micro and drew Danny’s concentration back to the street and he watched with a smile as the man he loved approached the unsuspicious cop.

 

“Booby traps aren't Mr. Tarr's style.”

 

Danny could almost see the sneer in the cop’s eyes as he took in Rusty’s attire. Dressed in the dark suit, white shirt and black tie with the ever present shades, Rusty could have easily passed as a Federal agent and the haughty attitude he showed just perfected the act.

 

“Isn't that right, Basher?”

 

Basher didn’t blink at all, just growled at Rusty.

 

“Peck, A.T.F. Let me venture a guess. A simple G4 mainliner, double-coil, backwound, quick fuse with a drag under 20 feet. That's our man. Tell me something else. Have you checked him for booby traps on his person? I mean really checked, not just for weapons...”

 

The entire speech was delivered in a perfect Washington accent and with the speed usual of someone, who didn’t care if the cop understood or not. It was clear that agent Peck didn’t consider the cop worthy understanding what he was talking about. In his hiding spot Danny grinned and shook his head.

 

“Will you go find Griggs and tell him I need to see him?”

 

They had practiced what came next, Rusty hadn’t been so sure that it would work, but Danny understood the psychology of a cop. The annoyed roar when the cop dared to question the name had several people turning their heads in Rusty’s direction and immediately the poor cop hurried away. Grinning, Rusty leaned over Basher and passed him some supplies.

 

“Done.   Thirty seconds all right?”

 

It certainly was good to work with someone who spoke their language and the grin that Basher sported told Danny that his friend thought so too. Slowly carefully Rusty led the Englishman away from the car, keeping a firm grip on Basher’s arm while he led him towards the unmarked car.

 

“Ten, nine... ok run now”

 

At Basher’s ‘now’ smoke began to rise from the car and a loud noise was heard. Basher slipped from Rusty’s grasp and walking fast, yet not running the two made their way over towards Danny.

 

“It’s gonna be good to be working with professional again.”

 

They got into the car and slowly drove off, just as another police car arrived at the scene. The man who jumped out of the car was tall, bald and seemed to be way too large for his suit and shirt. Danny and Basher didn’t pay him any attention, Basher on the other hand watched him carefully before smiling and murmuring.

 

“The world is small isn’t it Riddick?”

 

Thirty minutes later they were sitting in Reuben’s plane flying towards Las Vegas.

 

---

 

*Miami, Eric and Riddick’s place*

 

“What?”

 

Riddick glared at Eric, but his mate still couldn’t help but laugh as Riddick had finished telling him how they had managed to lose a criminal. He knew it wasn’t funny but something about the sheer cockiness of how it had happened made him smile.

 

“Was anyone hurt?”

 

Horatio’s voice was clipped and Eric could see how Speed moved closer to the older man. It was obvious that Horatio was haunted by the memory of his mentor’s death. Riddick though shook his head.

 

“No, that’s the thing, I came there and everyone was like screaming ‘bomb’. You know that it was? Some smoke and two firecrackers… God damn idiots...”

 

Eric calmly put his hand on his mate’s neck and started to caress the strong muscles there.

 

“Smoke and mirrors”

 

Speed’s comment was dry and when everyone turned to him he shrugged.

 

“Smoke and mirrors, you don’t need anything else for a good diversion.”

 

Horatio looked at his mate with reproach at the slight admiration he had detected in Speed’s voice. But Speed just smiled and kissed him.

 

“Don’t worry love, I’m not changing sides, but look at it like this, they could have come up armed with two dozens of guns and killed everyone to get free. But they didn’t even harm the car.”

 

Still not happy but slightly mollified, Horatio still looked concerned.

 

“Yeah, but why did they get him out at first place?”

 

The three Miami Dade people couldn’t answer that, but in the end it was Riddick that just shrugged.

 

“We’ll find out, I guess.”

 

---

 

+ Chapter 3+

 

*Las Vegas – Danny’s and Rusty’s flat*

 

The TV was on low volume and promoted the next big fight at the MGM Grand, Rusty watched the commercial with a light smile, knowing that this fight night would be their night.

 

They had a team ready, they had a plan now all they needed was to start practicing, watching and observing. Yet there was something Rusty had to clear before. Something that had bothered him ever since Danny had come up with the plan.

 

Tess

 

Tess, who had been Danny’s wife, Tess who had left Danny and made a gap appear between him and Danny. Tess was here as he had just found out and something in his heart had clenched at the thought that this entire elaborate con was just a way of winning her back from Danny’s part.

 

Wearily he wiped his face with his hands, he was tired from all the driving and flying they had done, but it weren’t the activities that had finally exhausted him, it was the fear that in the end he would stand there alone, that in the end he would once again be the one who lost everything that was important.

 

Rusty hated being afraid, but he couldn’t help it.

 

“Hey, you alright?”

 

He felt Danny sitting down next to him, then soft yet strong hands grasped his shoulders and shook him carefully.

 

“I’m not asleep, Danny, just thinking.”

 

Turning his head, he looked at his friend took in the dark hair, the dark eyes and once again wished nothing more than to be able to run his hands through this hair, to kiss the small creases around his eyes. Instead he reached out and got the drink Danny had put down next to him. He felt Danny’s questioning look on him, but he was too weary to answer or say anything. Finally Danny gave in.

 

“Ten should do it, don't you think?”

 

Ten partners were more than any of them had ever worked with, but Rusty had a good feeling about them. All the guys they had gathered around them were professionals. Unless the unthinkable came to happen, ten would be enough.

 

“You think we need one more?”

 

How should he answer that, Rusty wondered? Should he just come right out and tell Danny that ten were enough, if he, Danny, was playing honest?

 

“You think we need one more.”

 

It wasn’t about what he thought, it was about what he feared, but Rusty still didn’t say anything.

 

“Okay. We'll get one more.”

 

The matter was settled and Rusty heard Danny’s low sight before he got up and walked towards the door.

 

“I’ll talk to Bobby, he should be able to give me a name.”

 

Was it just him or did Danny sound insecure? Was he making a fuss about nothing? Was it in the end him and not Danny who would not be able to go through out of fear to lose Danny?

 

“I’ll go up to Chicago tomorrow evening.”

 

Finally Rusty looked up and immediately wished he hadn’t. Danny stood in the door frame, his eyes were dark and unreadable, but his entire stance screamed exhaustion and tiredness. Yet there was more, Danny looked almost defeated and for some reason that hurt Rusty more than anything. Groaning lightly, he pushed himself up and walking towards Danny he asked the question he dreaded.

 

“What about Tess?”

 

Danny tensed for a moment, then Rusty found himself captivated by the intensity of Danny’s eyes. He knew he was walking a fine line, but this was something that couldn’t wait and so he braced himself for what he was about to say next.

 

“Tell me this isn't about her. Or I'll walk off the job right now.”

 

It would break his heart to walk off not because of the job although it was the most elaborate plan he had ever participated in, no it would break his heart because he knew, if he walked now, he would never see Danny again.

 

“She's with Terry Benedict now. Tell me this isn't about screwing the guy who's screwing your wife.”

 

Danny still held him captive, still looked straight into his eyes and Rusty was sure that he could see the fear there, the fear of being right. Maybe it was that fear that made Danny answer.

 

“Ex-wife.  It's not.   About that.   Entirely.”

 

Rusty would have loved to let it go and just believe his friend, but there was more and so he just waited for the other shoe to drop..

 

“You said you needed a reason. Well, this is mine. When we started in this business, we had three rules. We weren't gonna hurt anybody. We weren't gonna steal from anybody didn't have it coming. And we were gonna play the game like we had nothing to lose. Well, I lost something. Someone. That's why I'm here.”

 

It almost physically hurt to hear the confirmation and Rusty wanted nothing more than turn away, leave the suddenly too small flat and drown his sorrow in a bottle of whiskey. At the same time though he suddenly had the urge to fight, fight for the time with Danny at least during the con.

 

“What are you going to do, Danny if push comes to shove, if you can’t have both, which are you gonna choose? And just remember, Tess doesn’t divide eleven ways.”

 

He felt as if those words were his last life line, was sure that Danny was going to walk out of the room and he would never see him again.

 

“I was never talking about Tess.”

 

The words filtered through his brain, but it took a moment to process them, yet when he did, Rusty shivered. He looked up again and suddenly realized that Danny was much closer than before. One hand softly cupped his face, while the other drew him closer to Danny, close enough to feel the other man’s body heat, yet still separated enough that Rusty could see Danny’s eyes. There was warmth in the dark eyes. Emotions that Rusty had never seen in them and yet were familiar because he saw them every time he looked at himself in the mirror and a shiver ran through his body.

 

“I was talking about you. I lost you, somewhere along those con's we pulled I lost you and I can't live like this.”

 

With those words, Danny apparently decided that they were done talking and leaned in to kiss him. He saw it coming, saw the lips getting closer, but nothing had prepared him for the feelings just this simple and tender kiss woke in him. Danny’s lips were soft, tender. He had dreamed of this, dreamed of how it would feel to kiss Danny and to be kissed by him. But every dream paled compared to the reality of the fire that burned in him as he opened his lips to welcome the other man's tongue. Their first kiss was gentle, loving and yet so passionate that it left him shaken as it ended.

 

For a long time he just stared at Danny not really understanding what happened, then though he finally got it and happiness spread through him.

 

“Wow”

 

Danny just bent his head to the left side and lifted one eyebrow. It was so typically Danny that Rusty had to laugh.

 

“I’m honored, you know all this planning and elaborate conning just for me?”

 

He had expected to get a joke in return, instead though Danny turned completely serious as he held his eyes again.

 

“You’re worth it, Rusty, more than worth it.”

 

---

 

Danny saw the joy in Rusty’s eyes as the truth behind the words registered and he felt as if he could hug the entire world. It had been a damn high gamble to just tell him straight, but he hadn’t been able to watch the pain in Rusty’s face for one more minute.

 

And he meant what he had said, everything he had planned, had been with Rusty in the back of his mind, Rusty and his promise to himself that he would at least gain Rusty’s friendship back.

 

Now though it looked as if he had won something far more precious, far more valuable.

 

“I love you”

 

The words washed over him, cleansed him, broke him and rebuilt him again. He could see the truth in Rusty’s eyes, those clear blue pools that were suddenly filled with emotions. This man next to him, was the real Rusty Ryan, and the fact that he finally let him in, made Danny shiver in both passion and love.

 

He closed the distance between their bodies and connected them from head to toe. The intimate contact took his breath away, and he heard Rusty’s moan as their bodies molded themselves against each other as if they were two halves finally fitting together.

 

“I love you too”

 

He felt Rusty shiver against him before he moved out of his arms, however still held onto the tattooed hand, the black markings a reminder not to let his beloved go before they had cleared all misunderstandings and cemented their love. Grinning lightly he opened the door to his bedroom and heard Rusty’s chuckle at the sight of plans and drawings strewn over the bed.

 

“Hey, why don’t we move this to my room? The bed’s free there.”

 

Holy shit, husky voiced Rusty actually made him tremble with desire and with a passionate growl he followed his lover to the other room. Once there, he reached out and drew Rusty against him, kissed him hard and fast and full of passion. It wasn’t the tender caress from before, this kiss was a statement, was a claiming. He heard the growl from Rusty seconds before he felt strong hands grip his head, hold it in place as Rusty gave as good as he got and made his own claim of Danny.

 

"I want to see you naked."

 

Rusty’s words made him grin first, then chuckle as he noticed the blush rising in his friend’s face. With ease he slipped out of his clothes trying to look unconcerned but as he reached to open the buttons of his shirt, he noticed how his hands trembled and equally shocked and embarrassed he looked at his soon-to-be lover.

 

“What about equal opportunities?”

 

Without saying anything Rusty shed all his clothes and lay down on the bed. Danny closed his eyes at the sight of the tanned, strong and yet slender body and whispered lightly.

 

"I've dreamed of this."

 

Soft hands began to caress him and Danny realized that with Rusty no one would be in charge. Their lovemaking would be the same as their working relationship, they were equal in everything. He didn't have to be the strong, the experienced one. He could just be himself.

 

Rusty’s skin was soft but underneath the softness there was a hardness that spoke volumes of his fitness, Danny smiled at the small tattoo on the hip and leaned in to trace the Chinese symbol with his tongue. The answering moan and shiver made him lightheaded and he looked up to find Rusty staring at him with passion and love.

 

"You are mine"

 

A shiver ran through Danny as he heard those words.

 

"Yes"

 

For a long time he held Rusty’s eyes silently communicating and making sure that his lover knew that this specific possession went two ways. Then he grinned and leaned over to entwine their hands. With their eyes still locked he leaned in to blow some air on Rusty’s cock. The Blond's grip became vice-like as he trembled. Some pearly liquid had already gathered at the head and Danny leaned in to taste him.

 

"Danny…"

 

Rusty’s voice was husky, strained almost. Once again Danny caressed his lover's cock, yet this time with his hand and he could feel the blood pulsating as he ran his fingers up and down his length. The trembling that ran through the slender body spoke of how close Rusty was and he quickly pressed a kiss on his stomach before taking him in his mouth. As soon as he touched him Rusty tensed and screamed his name. For a moment, Danny looked up reveling in the sight of Rusty out of control and close to breaking.

 

"Let yourself go, come for me..."

 

His lips once again closed around Rusty and his lover tensed completely, incoherent shouts became even more frantic until they turned into an almost animalistic scream and Danny could taste his lovers release on his tongue.

 

Shivering with love and desire Danny held Rusty while the last tremors still ran through his body. He had his eyes closed and looked vulnerable and suddenly incredibly young. But then he opened his eyes and the power of the blue stare almost undid him. He gasped as Rusty tweaked a nipple and moaned as he soothed the soft flesh with his tongue. The further down the gentle caresses went, the more the muscles rippled in his body and the more he twisted on the bed.

 

“Rusty”

His voice was hoarse from desire but he could hear the uncertainty in it and immediately he could see that Rusty knew what he didn’t dare to ask.

 

"Oh god, yes..."

 

The whispered plea made him shiver as he covered his fingers with the lotion from the nightstand. Not long and he gently teased the entrance only to feel Rusty tense.

 

"You sure?"

 

"Yes, it's just..."

 

Rusty wouldn’t meet his eyes, but Danny just waited until the blond smiled and shrugged embarrassed.

 

"I've never done that before... I mean I never..." Again he broke off, but Danny had a good idea of what the younger man wanted to say.

 

"You've never let someone love you."

 

"I want you in me, it's just... I..."

 

With a soothing motion Danny caressed the taught stomach of his lover, relieved as he felt the stiffness give way to a more relaxed feeling. It was a heady feeling to know that Rusty trusted him so much and it made him fall in love even more.

 

"Just tell me when to stop, ok?"

 

Tender and carefully Danny began to prepare the other man. And this time there was no tensing of muscles only a deep moan that escaped Rusty as he felt his lover's fingers deep inside him, then a desperate cry as the pleasure almost got too much. Danny watched out for any sign of discomfort but even as he slid in the other man's body all he saw was love and a deep passion.

 

Finally resting within the man he had loved from afar for so long, he looked into the blue eyes and saw the same fire there that raced through his veins.

 

"You are mine now"

 

Rusty just smiled before he raked one fingernail over Danny’s back, the slight pain made him hiss and as he looked up he saw possessiveness in Rusty’s eyes.

 

“So are you”

 

---

 

*Las Vegas – Warrick and Nick’s house*

 

“Come again?”

 

Warrick watched as Nick laughed and shook his head. His mate was on the phone with Speed and had the time of his life. It had become a normal occurrence that Speed would call them and tell some stories about Riddick, that made them both laugh even though they didn’t envy Horatio or Speed for their ‘in-law’.

 

“Riddick’s lost a criminal”

 

Nick put his arms around Warrick and pressed himself against his mate’s back. He loved to feel the other man’s strong body and muscles play against him and sighing contently he leaned in, only to groan when Warrick turned in his arms.

 

“Lost a criminal?”

 

The disbelief in Warrick’s voice made him smile and he retold the story that Speed had just explained to him. Warrick just shook his head.

 

“Well as long as their lost property stays in Miami, I don’t care”

 

Nick nodded and leaned in to steal another kiss from his mate before they had to face another day or better night at the lab.

 

---

 

+Chapter 4+

 

*Las Vegas – Danny and Rusty’s flat*

 

Waking up in Rusty's arms was something Danny could get used to and yet, as he looked at the blond mop of hairs, he knew that it would never become normal. He had dreamed of them together like this and now that it had happened the reality made even his wildest dreams pale.

 

The sun was up and as he checked the clock on the nightstand, he groaned. He had to get up and go to the airport in only two hours. Caressing the shoulder that peeked out from underneath the duvets, he leaned in and pressed a kiss on the soft flesh. Somehow he still felt as if he was dreaming, he smiled at the plaintive groan from Rusty when he changed his touches from soft caresses to strokes powerful enough to wake his lover up. Mumbling something intelligible Rusty turned and slowly opened his eyes. They were clouded by sleep and for a moment Danny smiled at the little boy lost look on Rusty's face, then the fog cleared from the blue stare and tentatively almost shy Rusty reached out and touched Danny.

 

"You're still here"

 

The light wonder in his lover's voice made Danny's heart cry out, how long had they both wanted this and not dared to say anything?

 

"I won't leave"

 

Rusty was awake now and Danny could tell by the grin and the light shrug when he looked over to the clock.

 

"Well no, or at least not for another ninety minutes."

 

Rolling them over so that Danny covered Rusty, he repeated the grin and ground his hips into Rusty's.

 

"What do you think we can do in those ninety minutes?"

 

His lover reacted by pushing up against him and then surprising him Rusty turned them around so the he was covering Danny. He laughed and there was a twinkle in his eyes that spoke of joy, passion and mischief. Danny felt his head starting to spin, he had seen this side in Rusty, this playful side when they had pulled cons together, had seen it come out when he was seducing women, but he had never felt the full impact of it on himself.

 

"I can think of many things actually, but then, why don't I show you and you tell me if you agree with me?"

 

Danny wanted to agree but before he could think of anything to say, Rusty had already started to nibble at his collarbone, warring the tender skin with his teeth until Danny was sure that a mark would remain behind. And true to this thought, Rusty grinned as he looked up.

 

"No topless cons anymore for you, you'd be recognized as mine."

 

He knew that in order to keep his manliness intact he should protest against the possessiveness in Rusty's voice, but the nibbling felt too damn good and he couldn't be bothered. Then sharp teeth nipped at his ear and he yelped first then growled at the chuckle he felt from Rusty. Quickly deciding that he had had enough, he turned them around again and trapped Rusty underneath him.

 

Grinning blue eyes looked up at him, eyes lit up with fire and passion and Danny knew that they probably mirrored the same feelings that were visible in his. A sudden twist of his hips had Rusty groan and arch up against him and then he felt once again Rusty's voice close to his ears right before his lover bit him lightly. The light pain broke his control and he started to trust against the smaller body in a frenzied rythym only to feel Rusty's hand close around him and align their cocks so that they rubbed against each other.

 

"Oh fuck"

 

It was all he could say before the world blackened out for a second only to come back brighter than ever before. Danny felt sleep tugging at his eyes and he snuggled up against Rusty not caring about the sticky substance on their bodies, yet not even five minutes later, at least that was how it felt, the loud and annoying ring of the alarm clock woke him. Sending the offending item an angry glance, he tried to untangle himself from his lover only to find that the not cleaning idea had been stupid. He lightly pushed at Rusty and his lover groaned.

 

"Rusty, come on, we're stuck together."

 

Sleepy eyes looked at him happily as the half-awake blond grinned.

 

"No, but you're stuck with me."

 

Groaning because obviously his lover's brain was still asleep, he moved away and grinned at the yelp from Rusty as the glue-like semen was torn from his belly.

 

"Fuck, that's worse than band aid!"

 

Laughing merciless, Danny got up and walked towards the shower at the door he turned around and leered at Rusty's naked body.

 

"Yeah, but much more fun to get!"

 

After the door had closed behind him, Danny stretched and twisted his body to wake up. It was then that he caught sight of his neck and shoulder and shaking his head he grinned at the visible markings he had received from Rusty.

 

"Looks like I've fallen in love with a vampire."

 

---

 

Rusty's eyes followed Danny as his lover walked towards the bathroom. Then he lay back in the bed once again smiling in pure happiness.

 

Danny loved him.

 

Fuck all, this was way too good to be true!

 

Of course Danny also had to leave for Chicago today and to be honest that sucked, cause after finally having the guy he'd wanted for what seemed like forever, he certainly didn't want to let him go just to meet with some kind of junior thief. But then, it also meant that he would actually work on their planning, maybe do some observing instead of fooling around in bed with Danny all day.

 

Groaning he stretched his body, enjoying the slightly sore sensations in parts that weren't supposed to be sore, then suddenly wrinkled his nose at the sticky and itching mess on his belly. There were many great things about being a man, he decided, but evolution should have really equipped them with self-dissolving cum.

 

On the other hand, having a sticky belly gave him the perfect excuse to join Danny in the shower didn't it?

 

---

 

*Miami, Police Department*

 

"I think we finally caught a break."

 

Calleigh seemed as relieved as Eric felt as they saw the liquid slowly turning purple indicating that the cloth had once been drenched in blood. They had been working almost non stop for three days, the terrible sight of the dead kid still constant in their minds. Now though it finally seemed they had found a lead and Eric finally smiled for the first time since he had been called out.

 

"Let's hope we get this animal."

 

Eric's smile disappeared, yet before he could answer, his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, he was surprised to see Tripp's phone number showing. Answering he first heard, nothing but some noise, then Tripp's voice filtered through.

 

"Eric, you might want to watch out, Riddick is on his way over to you and seems to be on a roll."

 

Rolling his eyes, Eric thanked Tripp and told Calleigh about it, yet before they could even start discussing what could have set Riddick off, the tall vampire stalked into their lab with Horatio and Speed following him.

 

"God fucking idiots!"

 

Eric saw Speed and Horatio trade glances that were as confused as he was and he shook his head. Then his mate threw three photos on the trace table, Speed grabbed one and looked at it with narrowed eyes.

 

"Basher?"

 

Eric saw how Horatio pick up another picture and finally grabbed one himself, it showed a good looking, dark skinned man being led out of a bank, his hands above his head, escorted by three police officers. It dawned him, that he was looking at the criminal that Riddick had 'lost' only a couple of nights ago.

 

"Well at least you know now how he got away"

 

Horatio looked up at Speed's smile and Eric could easily see the jealousy in the blue eyes and hear it in the hard voice as Speed's mate asked what they all wanted to know.

 

"Who is this?"

 

Speed, noticing his mate's jealousy, grabbed Horatio's hand and subtly drew him towards him, before started explaining who the man in the funky clothes and the daredevil grin was.

 

"Basher Tarr... He's an unofficial member of Camelot, kind of like Riddick was for us for a long time. He was a student of Alfred Nobel and was turned by Dr. Jekyl when he was killed by an experiment gone wrong. He's always been an expert in anything exploding and he hasn't changed, just diverted from dynamite to anything that blows things up.

 

He's got three rules though and that's why Arthur lets him free reign. a) He never hurts anyone. b) He never steals from anyone who doesn't deserve it and c) He never works with rogues or anyone who's opposed to either Camelot's or Sylum's rules."

 

Riddick growled at Speed's words and Eric noticed that his mate didn't agree with him.

 

"He's a fucking scoundrel, a good-for-nothing idiot."

 

Speed laughed and giving Riddick an amused glance, he told the others the reason for Riddick's annoyance with the English vampire.

 

"Basher and Riddick have a love-hate relationship ever since Basher stole the same antique book that Riddick wanted to steel."

 

Two pairs of eyes locked themselves on Riddick and Eric noticed with amusement, that his tall mate actually squirmed under Horatio's disapproving gaze. Looking at Speed, Riddick growled yet with eyes that laughed and belied the harsh tone.

 

"That book was supposed to be a present for you!"

 

Now Speed laughed outright while Riddick stared at the photos in frustration. Seeing the confused looks from his mate and his friends, Speed explained his amusement.

 

"It was a present for me, just from Basher... You should have seen Riddick's face when I showed him my newest addition to the library."

 

Drawing his mate against his body, Horatio stage whispered in his ear.

 

"You have stolen books in your library?"

 

But Speed wasn't deterred and his answer proved that point b) from Basher's rules had been followed even if it just concerned a book.

 

"He stole it from someone who had stolen it himself."

 

Horatio was silent for a moment and it was Calleigh that broke the heavy atmosphere that suddenly had descended over the trace lab.

 

"So what is he doing here?"

 

Speed sighed and then shrugged, he knew that he could have ignored Basher's presence in Miami had he not officially known about it. Now though, he had to inform Nick.

 

---

 

*Las Vegas - Nick and Warrick's house*

 

"Ok, thanks"

 

Warrick smiled as he put the phone down and turned around to Nick who lounged on the couch looking relaxed and content. They had spent an entire day at home doing nothing, just enjoying the freedom of being together and without any duties.

 

Smiling he walked over and started to massage his mate's neck before he slowly leaned in and kissed the sensitive skin. Nick's hiss of pleasure turned into a purr as Warrick started to caress his temples and slowly massaged the scalp.

 

"Keep that up and I'll never move"

 

Nick's voice was husky and he pressed his head against Warrick's fingers. Then he turned around and despite his words moved aside so that Warrick could snuggle up next to him.

 

"What did Speed want?"

 

Closing his lips on Nick's ear, Warrick licked the tender skin there before he whispered his answer in his mate's ear.

 

"Nothing important, just wanted to inform us that Basher has been seen in Miami."

 

Nick nodded, his body still relaxed and calm, knowing that Basher's visit to the States might cause some trouble for Nick the CSI, but certainly had no impact on him as the clan leader. Then a thought occurred him and he chuckled.

 

"He the criminal Riddick lost?"

 

Warrick just grinned and nodded against Nick' shoulder. His mate grinned.

 

"Oh boy, poor Eric"

 

---

 

+Chapter 5+

 

*Las Vegas - Some Bar*

 

"Stop mopping around just because Danny isn't in town tonight."

 

Basher's words shocked Rusty and he looked up confused only to meet his friend's smiling eyes. He knew that denying anything was pointless, but he still couldn't understand how Basher had figured it out, after all Danny had only left this morning and they had only realized their feelings last night.

 

"How did you?"

 

Rusty wasn't surprised to see no disgust or reproach in the other man, he'd seen Basher with girls and guys throughout the years he had known him and knew that if one from their group of professionals they'd gathered around them would judge him and Danny, it surely wouldn't be Basher.

 

"You glow"

 

The two words were spoken simply and friendly, but they transferred Rusty back to this morning and how he and Danny had woken up together, how easy it had been to just turn over and kiss his lover, how wonderful it was to know that now he could touch and caress...

 

"Hey, earth to Mr. Ryan?"

 

Basher's grin was infectious and Rusty started to laugh before he shrugged almost embarrassed and told Basher what had happened yesterday night, well not everything of course, he left out some details. Reaching over Basher grabbed his hand and with a smile told him.

 

"You've found your other half, Rusty, now just grab onto him and don't lose him."

 

The words were friendly but there was a sadness in his eyes that touched Rusty and without thinking he covered Basher's hand with his own.

 

"You okay?"

 

The sadness disappeared and just like that the moment between them disappeared and soon enough they were talking about jobs they'd done together or alone and of course the one they planned. Rusty had done some observing today, while Basher had booked himself on a Las Vegas tourist bus. The tour had taken him to all the important casinos and while the other tourists had taken pictures of the white tigers, he had looked at entries and guards. They still didn't know if the others would join them or not, but somehow Rusty had realized that even if not, they, as in Rusty, Danny and Basher would go through with it.

 

"Hey you up for another beer?"

 

Rusty pushed the empty glass away and got up himself.

 

"It's my round anyway, you want another one?"

 

Basher nodded and Rusty saw how his friend leaned back in the booth, smiling lightly feeling happier than ever before he walked up to the bar and ordered a Guinness for Basher and a coffee for himself. He smiled at the waitress as he ordered, enjoying the flirting, when she suddenly paled.

 

"Miss what's..."

 

The pain in his back was searing and cut through him like lightning, he saw the shock in her pretty face and as if in slow motion he saw her body fly back, saw blood spread on her chest, thinking stupidly that the pattern looked like a star before the pain in his body made him sway. Rusty clutched for the railing but he couldn't hold on to it, the fall didn't hurt which was weird, but then he suddenly realized that the fire was been replaced with cold and he started to shiver.

 

"Rusty"

 

Basher's voice was urgent yet soft and as Rusty opened his eyes he saw tears in his friend's eyes. He could hear a noise from far away, but he knew that they would come too late for him. Danny's face appeared in front of his eyes and he wanted to cry out at the injustice. He couldn't die now that he had finally gotten a chance to be with Danny.

 

"Danny"

 

Basher still looked at him, his hands clutching the wound and pressing against it. Rusty could see the shiver that went through his friend as he asked for Danny. Suddenly Basher though moved and reached out taking Rusty's hand and forcefully pressed it.

 

"Rusty look at me, look at me"

 

Confused he looked at his friend and noticed that they weren't in the bar anymore. When had Basher carried him outside and since when was the other man so strong? He felt darkness tug at his consciousness and closed his eyes only to feel Basher's hand on his face once again.

 

"Rusty, I can give you a second chance to live."

 

Basher's eyes were glowing in the darkness and there was something feral in his face. Lovingly his friend caressed his face before speaking again.

 

"I can give you eternal life with Danny if you want, but I need you to consent."

 

Maybe it was this one moment of clarity before he died, that made Rusty realize what Basher was telling him. He didn't know what to say, when Basher softly spoke again.

 

"Rusty you're fading fast, you have to decide soon."

 

Eternity with Danny or dying out here? That itself was an easy answer, but the deep rooted fear of paranormal things made Rusty tremble as he looked at Basher again. The older man looked at him once again, yet he didn't try to convince him, just waited for Rusty to make his decision.

 

In the end it was the memory of last night, of his spoken words 'you are mine now' that made him nod weakly. Basher smiled relieved and with a shudder he leaned in. His teeth had expanded to fangs and with a shiver Rusty jerked back.

 

"Don't be afraid."

 

Gently he leaned in and Rusty closed his eyes bracing himself for the pain. Warmth flooded him, driving away the cold that had penetrated his entire body, pleasure soft and tender not hot and passionate as the one he felt with Danny more like a warm comforting hug engulfed him and he felt his heart slow down and closed his eyes.

 

"Rusty, don't slip away now, open your eyes, I need you to drink."

 

His body felt as if he was made of lead and even a small movement like opening his eyes took all his strength. He saw the extended arm in front of his lips and instinctively knew what to do as he started to drink from Basher. The warmth he had felt before spread once again, turned into fire and into agony. He heard himself scream, felt Basher's arms around him holding him down as pain unlike anything he had known raced through his body. One last piercing stroke and Rusty welcomed the darkness that engulfed him softly.

 

---

 

*Las Vegas - Crime Scene*

 

"Ok, here's what happened according to some witnesses. A man walked into the bar, pulled out his gun, shot a man standing at the bar in the back and then the waitress in the chest. He turned around shot two customers sitting on a table in the corner in the head, threatened the remaining guests and left."

 

The bar stank of beer, gun powder and blood. Nick wrinkled his nose and looked around, his eyes running over the three bodies laying on the floor, the CSI noted the blood at the bar and looked at Brass questioningly.

 

"You said he shot four people, where's the forth?"

 

Warrick, who had taken pictures came to stand next to Nick, casually leaning against the table.

 

"Well, that's when it gets interesting with the eye witnesses."

 

Brass pointed to a young couple sitting in the corner booth, looking pale and haggard from their experiences tonight.

 

"Those two claim that the forth man was picked up by his friend and carried outside. I have a detective calling the hospitals if they had a patient with a gun shot wound."

 

Then he pointed to a tall dark haired man in another booth.

 

"He on the other hand claims that there were only three victims and finally some other patrons say they haven't seen anything..."

 

Despite the situation Nick couldn't help the smile at the frustration he heard in Brass' voice at the differences in the records. Patting his shoulder consolingly, he smiled and reached for his kit.

 

"Eye witneses are unreliable, and that's why we exist..."

 

He looked at Warrick and with one look the two communicated silently before Warrick started on one side of the room and Nick on the other.

 

---

 

*Las Vegas - Danny and Rusty's flat*

 

He felt cold not from the room temperature but more like from within and Rusty shivered reaching out for the duvet cover when his memories set in and with a gasp he sat up.

 

"It's ok, Rusty, everything is fine."

 

Basher was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at him concerned before reaching out and handing him cup. Sniffing the dark liquid, Rusty was shocked to realize it was blood, yet even more shocked about the craving he felt to drown the content of the glass.

 

"Drink it Rusty, you need to feed."

 

Following Basher's order Rusty drank the blood before he looked at his friend.

 

"Feed?"

 

Softly Basher reached out and took Rusty's hand.

 

"You are a vampire now, do you remember the shooting, the turning?"

 

Shaking his head in disbelief Rusty tried to deny it, when he noticed that his heart wasn't beating, that he wasn't breathing and with a shiver he looked at Basher only to see understanding and compassion in his friend's eyes.

 

"You have to drink some more, then I will explain everything to you."

 

Following orders wasn't something Rusty was good in, but something in Basher's behaviour made him do what he said and only minutes later, Basher started to tell him about myth and reality, about his own death and life, about Sylum and Camelot, about feeding and hunting until Rusty's head spun with new information.

 

"I will teach you how to feed on a volunteer and how to tune your senses. And we will continue to train together while planning and preparing for the casino's."

 

It wasn't that he minded working with Basher, but Rusty knew immediately that Danny would not be happy if he spent too much time with the other man. Looking up he suddenly started to shiver with fear.

 

"What about Danny?"

 

His sire must have felt his fear and put a calming hand on Rusty's shoulder before he sat down next to him and gently started yet another explanation.

 

"You can tell Danny when he comes back tomorrow, in fact you have to tell him. He is your mate."

 

Mate? It was yet another information that Rusty tried to process and slowly but surely he was getting confused and agitated, yet once again Basher calmed him down and explained more clearly.

 

"Every vampire has a mate, someone who is his other half, who completes him. For you this is Danny and you are that person for Danny. So you have to tell him because in time you will turn him or he will be turned to be with you forever."

 

A memory flitted through Rusty's brain something Basher had said before he had turned him.

 

'Eternity with Danny'

 

Gasping lightly he realized that Basher had told the truth and slowly he felt happiness spread through him for the first time since he had walked up to the bar.

 

"So Danny and I will be together forever."

 

Just the thought of it made him happy, but then he remembered the agony he had gone through during the transformation and with a frown he looked at Basher.

 

"Will it be as painful as my turning?"

 

For a second Basher was silent, then he nodded before he stood up and told Rusty to rest for a while, they would start practicing tomorrow morning. Alone with his thoughts Rusty went through the information that Basher had given him, let everything pass through his head again, let himself come to terms with what had happened until finally he fell asleep with one thought in his mind.

 

'No matter what happened in the future, if this night meant that he would have Danny at his side, it had been worth it.'

 

---

 

* Las Vegas - Crime Lab*

 

"Hey Greg, you paged me?"

 

Warrick walked into the lab with his usual long strides, he looked tired, the shooting in the bar had turned a normal shift into a double and even with feeding during his break, the vampire still was exhausted.

 

"Yeah you and Nick, I've got the results from the blood samples you found at the scene."

 

"Did you have three or four blood types?"

 

Nick had entered behind Warrick and was the one who asked the question, he looked at the slumped shoulders of his mate and softly massaged the tense knots while he waited for Greg to answer.

 

"Four, three belong to our victims, the forth was unknown until I sent it through the database."

 

The surprise at this response seemed to revive Warrick and Nick felt the muscles ripple under his hands as his mate straightened and moved over to Greg to look at the result.

 

"Rusty Ryan" he read "has been connected to about 14 fraud / theft schemes, but was never convicted."

 

Narrowing his eyes, Nick looked at the file too only to shake his head. The man had no record of gun violence or any other for that matter and a look at Warrick confirmed what he thought, this man possibly was their forth victim, however he wasn't their shooter.

 

"So why did he escape? And where to?"

 

Nick looked at Warrick while he asked this and was surprised when Greg cleared his throat to say something. His attitude had changed and immediately Nick realized that this was his son and Chosen One and not the lab tech / CSI that was talking.

 

"I looked a bit closer at his file and found something interesting..." the stop he made was purely for rhetorical purposes and it had Warrick growling at him, "... there was a note about people he's thought of working with and one name was familiar."

 

Turning his computer screen, Greg showed them the picture of a dark skinned, slim and good looking man, it was a picture that made Nick and Warrick gasp.

 

"Basher"

 

Looking at each other they shook their heads before they left the lab throwing a 'thanks' towards Greg. Once outside Nick looked concerned.

 

"You think Basher got this Ryan out of the bar and turned him?"

 

Warrick shrugged and then tentatively nodded. A smile played around his lips as he pondered what it would mean to have Basher here and finally with a grin he looked at Nick.

 

"Shall I tell Riddick or will you?"

 

Playfully Nick slapped at Warrick's arm.

 

"Don't you dare... Or do you want to see Riddick terrorizing Detective Vega?"

 

Seeing the gleam in his mate's eyes at that question Nick just groaned.

 

---

 

+Chapter 6+

 

*Chicago - L Train*

 

Danny watched the young man in the typical college student gear as he balanced on the shaky L-train. It was Chicago rush hour, the perfect time for a pickpocket and promptly he saw the student lean in a bit more than necessary at the next harsh bump.

 

When he straightened and apologized to the stock broker, he had the other man's purse in his hand.

 

No one noticed and no one paid him any attention when he left the train at the next station.

 

No one but Danny.

 

Bobby had declined on the job, but had suggested that Danny take a look at the young man he'd observed all yesterday. He was good, young though, but good. And with his boyish face and innocent look he was exactly what they needed, what they had lacked so far.

 

Because as good an actor Rusty was, there was no way he would be able to pull the innocent, insecure boy from the gaming commission off as good as this boy would. Because unlike Rusty, this guy here wouldn't be acting.

 

Danny's smile faded as he thought of Rusty, he missed his lover terribly and it was only a day since he had seen him. But then they only had had a night together and with a smile, Danny looked at the plane ticket in his hand.

 

All he had to do was talk to the boy, give him the ticket and leave for Vegas.

 

It was a mere matter of hours until he would see Rusty again.

 

God, he was pathetic...

 

When the student walked around the corner, Danny stepped around too bumping into the leaner man. The young man looked startled and apologized profusely before he left and walked away. Danny's eyes followed him and with a smile he watched how the pickpocket reached into his own pocket only to look puzzled and surprised when his hand found a business card instead of a wallet.

 

It was good to know that his skills hadn't waned over the years.

 

After all magical fingers were a good thing to have...

 

---

 

*Chicago Harry's Pub*

 

The student, as Danny had nicknamed the young man looked annoyed as he sat down opposite him, but the annoyance quickly changed into surprise when Danny casually mentioned Bobby Caldwell's name.

 

"He seems to have a very high opinion of you."

 

A quick smile ran across the young man's face before he simply answered.

 

"Fathers tend to have that."

 

It was Danny's turn to be surprised and with a grin he held the ticket out to Linus or the student.

 

"You take this, your father will trade on your name"

 

For a moment Linus just looked at him, then he took the ticket and read the name of the destination.

 

"Las Vegas?"

 

Danny knew that he couldn't pull of an innocent face and so he just grinned like a cat that just had eaten the canary.

 

"America's playground"

 

Linus smiled and when he left five minutes later, Danny knew that they had found their eleventh man. Sighing lightly he smirked as he once again realized how similar the planning of a con and of a normal business venture were. First you needed the cash, then the people and once you had those, the real work had only just begun.

 

He left the pub after a quick chat with the owner and waved at a cab, when he heard a voice call out a name.

 

"Seth"

 

---

 

*Chicago - NCIS crime scene*

 

"For God's sake Di Nozzo, what is going on?"

 

Gibbs sounded annoyed and for once Tony was pretty sure that his mate not only sounded irritated but actually was. It might have something to do with him staring incredulously at the good looking man who had just walked out of the pub.

 

On the other hand it could have just been anything. After all even though they were bonded and loved each other to death, Gibbs was still Gibbs and the second 'B' still stood for bastard.

 

"Sorry boss"

 

But he couldn't concentrate on the scene no matter how gruesome it was and as he looked up again he audibly gasped.

 

"Tony what is with you?"

 

Gibbs was standing close and his voice sounded concerned. Tony looked into his mate's eyes and then silently pointed at the dark haired man who was just waving at a cab.

 

"Who is he?"

 

If he had been less concerned, Tony would have laughed at the jealousy in Gibbs' voice, yet as it was, he shrugged and explained silently.

 

"Seth, he's one of Vachon's hunters."

 

Narrowing his eyes, Gibbs looked at the well dressed man.

 

"What is he doing here?"

 

Tony looked at his mate and the concern he felt showed in his eyes.

 

"I don't know, if Nick knew he was here, he would have told me. Gibbs, you can scream at me later, but I need to talk to him ok?"

 

Gibbs nodded and out loud he barked.

 

"Go and talk to him, if you can't help yourself!"

 

Tony walked over and called out for Seth, the fact that the other hunter didn't turn around made him pause and that's when he heard it. The man's beating heart...

 

Whoever he was, he wasn't Seth, but something in his guts made him grab the dark haired man at his arm and call out Seth's name again.

 

"Does Nick know you're here?"

 

'Seth' turned around and looked at him, dark eyes, strong features, dark hair, it could have been Seth, but Tony noticed the differences between the two men. Seth was younger, forever frozen as thirty-four whereas this man was probably around forty. He wasn't as lean and fit and his eyes missed the slightly mad gleam that Seth always had. Instead they looked at him with calculating, quick looks and an intelligence that shone in the dark depth.

 

"I think you must have mistaken me for someone else."

 

Painting shock on his face, Tony apologized and then watched as the man got into his cab. Thinking fast, he looked around for another cab, when his eyes fell on the slip of paper that the other man had dropped. Grabbing it with a tissue he put it into an evidence bag before he took his phone and called Nick.

 

"Nick, you won't believe whom I've just seen."

 

---

 

*Las Vegas - Danny and Rusty's flat*

 

"Hey honey I'm home"

 

Rusty had heard Danny come up the stairs and for a moment he wanted to hide, but Basher's hand on his back, the silent support he got from his sire gave him enough courage to answer Danny's teasing words with some of his own.

 

"I can see that and you're late as usual."

 

Danny looked the same as he had two days ago when he had left. Yet everything was different, Basher had tried to explain the pull he would feel towards his mate, had tried to elaborate what 'mate' meant for a vampire, but Rusty hadn't understood.

 

Looking at Danny, seeing the smile in his face and the love in his eyes, he did.

 

It was like a magnet drawing him towards the taller man and without any prompting from Basher he walked over and pressed his lover against him. Resting in his arms was like coming home, now more than ever and he nuzzled his face against Danny's neck. He had loved this position with all his lovers and two nights ago he had fallen asleep with his faces pressed against Danny's. It was different though, not only could he smell how his closeness aroused his lover, how his skin tasted, but he could feel the blood pulsing in the veins under his lips and the urge to sink his fangs into the tender skin, to drink from him and start the bonding was almost overwhelming.

 

Shivering he stepped back from the hug not noticing the hurt look that Danny shot him. Basher looked at him and his eyes told him that he was on.

 

"Danny"

 

Yet before Rusty could say anything, Danny had noticed Basher and the dark eyes turned cold.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

Rusty cringed at the jealousy he heard in the simple, yet harsh words and grabbing Danny's hand he forced his mate to look at him.

 

"Danny, something happened"

 

For a long time, Danny just looked at him paling as realization that the 'something' must have been bad set in. His eyes darted between Rusty and Basher and with a jolt Rusty realized that Danny expected to be kicked out because of Basher and shivering he sat down drawing Danny with him.

 

“Last night Basher and I went to a bar downtown, I went to get drinks at the bar when I was shot.”

 

Danny’s eyes looked confused and Rusty’s heart broke at the fear in them, his lover reached out and cupped his face.

 

“Where Rusty, you look, you look fine to me.”

 

Bracing himself, Rusty took a deep breath before he said silently.

 

“I died Danny, I was shot in the back and was dying. Basher gave me a second chance, a chance to be with you forever...”

 

Rusty saw the confusion and fear in Danny’s eyes and wished he could explain it better, wished for a less fantastical explanation, when he felt Danny’s hand in his.

 

“What do you mean, you died? What kind of second chance?”

 

For the first time in his life, Rusty heard his lover scared and insecure and it hit him that maybe this was a much more real Danny, that he saw the other man for the first time without his mask and with a light shiver he drew Danny close to him.

 

“Basher turned me into a vampire”

 

He felt Danny’s entire body tense in his arms and tightened his hold on his mate only now fully understanding what Basher had meant when he had spoken about the urge he would feel to bond with Danny. The knowledge that Danny was vulnerable, the memory of how fast and easy his own life had been lost, the sliver of pain he had felt when Basher had talked about his own lost mate...

 

It all made him long to claim Danny, but he saw the fear in the beloved dark eyes and saw how Danny was torn between disbelief, fear and anger.

 

“Why are you doing this Rusty? If you want to take back what you told me last night, why don’t you just tell me to fuck off?”

 

The harsh words made him gasp, but he didn’t release his hold on Danny. Somehow he knew that if he released his mate, Danny would walk out of the room.

 

“He’s not trying to get rid of you for fuck’s sake, get your head out of your damn arse and listen to me ok?”

 

Basher’s voice was bereft of all accent and maybe that was what got Danny’s attention. Rusty saw his mate looking up and gasping at the sight of their friend with fangs out and eyes glowing. As fast as the transformation had happened, the vampire disappeared and Basher was back.

 

“Do you now believe us?”

 

Rusty felt the trembling start in Danny’s body as his lover turned to look in his eyes. There was still confusion there, but the anger and the fear had been replaced by curiosity and interest.

 

“Show me”

 

Somehow he should have expected it, but Danny’s easy way of accepting what he was took Rusty aback. Then though he concentrated on changing and as he had practiced with Basher, he felt his fangs come out. A gasp was heard and he looked into his mate’s eyes afraid to see fear again, instead he saw wonder and a love so strong it made him tear up.

 

“You’re eyes are crystal blue. You’re beautiful.”

 

Slowly as if in slow motion, Rusty saw Danny reach out and touch his fangs, yet before he could do so, Basher had stopped his hand.

 

“We have to talk about the whole mating issue.”

 

Rusty understood what his sire was talking about and slowly, hesitantly he explained everything to Danny, explained that one day he would turn him or would ask Basher to turn him. He didn’t say that this one day would probably come sooner than later, but Danny seemed to pick up the unspoken yearning as he looked at Basher with clear and yet pleading eyes.

 

“Will you do it?”

 

If his sire was shocked, then Basher covered it well and as his hand brushed through Danny’s graying hair, he looked deep into the dark eyes. The gesture was not erotic and yet jealousy rose in Rusty, making him tremble with the effort to hold back from growling at his ‘father.

 

“You should sleep, take your time with Rusty, talk and decide. When you still want to be turned tomorrow, I will turn you. I’d rather have this entire issue dealt with once we really start with the job.”

 

Rusty felt Danny’s arms around his body as his lover leaned against him, trusting him to support his entire weight. Then as if he’d just thought of something, Danny looked up again.

 

“I got us the eleventh guy, Linus Caldwell, Bobby’s son.”

 

Basher smiled and nodded before he left the two lover’s alone, yet once again Danny looked up and this time Rusty could see the myriad of emotions in Danny’s eyes as he fixed Basher with a look.

 

“Thanks for saving him”

 

---

 

+Chapter 7+

 

 

*Las Vegas - Crime Lab*

 

"No Riddick, it isn't necessary that you come down to Vegas, in fact I'd prefer it if you'd stayed in Miami keeping an eye on Speed and Horatio."

 

Nick threw a pen at his snickering mate as he desperately tried to keep Riddick away from Vegas. There were certain things he didn't 'Nicky' want to experience and to work together with Riddick would sure as hell be the kind of experience that would traumatize the Texan.

 

Warrick caught the pen easily and kept on grinning.

 

"Ok, I will call you as soon as we know for sure that Basher is here in Vegas, but until then please stay at home ok?"

 

Groaning he heard the solemn promise to 'hunt the bastard down' before Riddick disconnected the phone. He was tired, their case brought nothing but dead ends and with the possible involvement of vampires it all got even more complicated. Strong hands on his neck kneaded at the tense muscles and with a sigh he leaned back into Warrick enjoying the fact that he could do so openly.

 

"You are tired, come on let me take you home and make sure you sleep will."

 

The light growl in Warrick's voice made his body tighten with lust and he quickly turned around capturing his mate's lips. A slight chuckle made him raise his head and he saw Brass standing in the door way looking at them.

 

"You know the fact that you're out doesn't give you permission to shag each other on the lab table."

 

Nick grinned and lightly slapping the Captain on the arm walked through the door.

 

"We're about to go home and sleep, you've got anything for us?"

 

Brass shook his head.

 

"Nothing on either Ryan or Basher, no one has seen either man, they seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth. So until we've got more, just go home and ... sleep."

 

The way he pronounced the last word made Nick blush and Warrick grin. Brass' eyes followed them as they walked away. Then shaking his head at the childish behavior of a thousand year old vampire he turned back and decided to visit Gil.

 

---

 

*Las Vegas - Danny and Rusty's flat*

 

His head was still spinning. Rusty was a vampire? They were mates soon to be bonded which meant he would become a vampire too?

 

It all seemed as if he'd fallen into the script of a Tarantino movie and staring outside down onto the never ending traffic of another busy Las Vegas night, Danny wondered how his life could have changed so much in such a short time.

 

Three days ago all he had wanted was Rusty in his arms and a finalized plan for the casino job.

 

Now he had to deal with the thought of immortality, of a society outside of the one he knew and he still didn't have a finalized plan for the job.

 

"Danny"

 

Rusty sounded insecure and the thought that his silence made Rusty doubt his love for him, made Danny's heart hurt. It wasn't that he had issues with the fact that Rusty was a vampire, on the contrary, he had issues with the fact that his lover had almost died, that if it hadn't been for Basher he would have lost Rusty. Impulsively he turned around and pressed the leaner man against him.

 

"I could have lost you"

 

He felt the answering shiver that went through his lover's body and with a sigh leaned his head against Rusty's. Blue clear eyes locked with his, just minutes ago, he had watch them turn incredibly blue when his lover had turned into the vampire he was now.

 

"I never even knew about vampires but now, I will forever be grateful that they exist."

 

A small smile played around Rusty's lips before he captured Danny's. They hadn't really kissed since he had come home and now Danny's head began to spin with desire, desire and love and something else, something deeper, a longing almost tangible, one that made him break away gasping as he stared at Rusty.

 

"What is this?"

 

Rusty looked at him with wide eyes, as if something had happened that he hadn't expected. Danny felt soft hands caress his face, slide over his jaw, down to his neck to the point where his veins were close enough to the surface so that his pulse could be felt.

 

"Do you feel it too?"

 

He understood then, understood that it was the bond Rusty had spoken off that he felt, the bond that was forming slowly between them and with a deep shiver he tilted his head to one side.

 

"I won't change my mind Rusty, tomorrow when Bash comes over I will ask him to turn me. But I need you to be the one who drinks from me first, I need you to be my first..."

 

How could it be, that he, Danny Ocean, man of words, couldn't find an appropriate word to describe this elusive and yet so strong feeling that he needed Rusty to be his first… whatever. He knew that Basher would never have the same connection with him and yet it still felt as if he would cheat on Rusty by offering his life to the English.

 

He shook his head at the somehow pathetic way he behaved as soon as he was around Rusty and with a grin he looked at his lover.

 

"I guess love really does make fool out of us."

 

Rusty just smiled and held out his hand.

 

"Let's go to bed."

 

He was amazed that he had never even thought about being afraid, how could this be? How could he be so willing to not only accept something as far out as vampires actually existing, but to actually long to have one of them feed on him?

 

Danny undressed slowly and then gasped when he felt Rusty’s soft hands on his body. That was it, wasn’t it? He had his answer.

 

It wasn’t just a random vampire, it was Rusty.

 

He trusted Rusty with his body, his heart and his life. Looking up, he grinned lightly.

 

“So you really have enhanced senses?”

 

Growling lightly Rusty kissed a fiery trail along his jaw before raising his head and nodding.

 

“I could hear your heartbeat when you walked up the stairs.”

 

Surprised at how enhanced the senses were Danny grinned happy.

 

“Now that’s gonna help us on our future cons... We’ll always hear where the security guards are.”

 

Slowly softly he pushed at Rusty and drew him down on the bed with him. Turning them so that he was on top, he started his own kissing and nibbling.

 

“So, if I do this...”

 

He sucked on Rusty’s earlobe causing his lover to arch his body and gasp.

 

“...or this...”

 

His teeth nipped sharply at the sensitive spot right where neck and shoulder met eliciting another moan from the vampire.

 

“... or if I kiss you here...”

 

This time Rusty shouted when his tongue and teeth grasped over the left nipple and with a shudder he turned them both around so that he was on top looking down at Danny with blue eyes burning with passion. Danny couldn’t help the happy grin that spread over his face at the sight of the man he loved. Only last night he could have lost Rusty and now? Now he leaned in and savored their kisses.

 

“... do you feel that stronger than before?”

 

Rusty just growled and pounced him, teasing his body merciless and yet tender, making Danny tremble with desire and the wish to belong to Rusty in a way he suddenly understood he could only belong to the other man.

 

“Take me”

 

He barely recognized his voice and in the surprised look Rusty had neither did his lover. A smile appeared on the other man’s face and slowly gently he coated his fingers and started to prepare Danny. The feeling of Rusty inside him, any part of him even if it was just a finger was too good to be true and with a heavy moan he arched against the hand on his cock.

 

“Are you ready for me?”

 

The whispered words shook and Danny could see how Rusty’s control was faltering. It was a heady feeling to have brought his lover this far this fast, but he was too far gone himself to enjoy so he just spread his legs further and once again bared his neck. A deep growl escaped Rusty as he slid in his body and Danny moaned with the feeling of being filled, being owned.

 

“I love you”

 

For a moment Rusty just rested in him, probably to give him time to adjust but maybe his lover needed some adjusting himself. Then Rusty looked up and his eyes had changed just as his fangs showed. Danny shivered at the pure, raw power and beauty of Rusty in vampire form. Some part of him told him that now was the time to be afraid, but he didn’t listen, couldn’t listen not when all his other senses drew him towards the other creature.

 

“Do it Rusty, please I want to be yours.”

 

For a moment Rusty just stared at him with wonder and then slowly leaned down. Danny unconsciously braced himself for pain, yet the feelings flooding him when he felt Rusty feed from him were anything but. Love, passion and something so elemental that he had no word for it... Danny heard himself scream with completion and felt Rusty’s release deep inside him, but all he could focus on was that part where they were connected even more intimate than with sex.

 

He was tempted to press Rusty’s head back to his neck, when his lover looked up again, but Rusty stopped him softly.

 

“I already took enough; I don’t want to weaken you.”

 

The blue eyes had changed back and the fangs had disappeared, Rusty was looking at him with love and tenderness. Then something like mischief grew in his eyes as he slowly began to move. Danny couldn’t prevent the gasp when he felt his lover’s hardness move in him.

 

“Another feature of vampires... we recover pretty damn fast.”

 

Danny couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up in him as he imagined their future of endless cons and passion filled nights. The chuckle turned quickly into moans as he felt his own passion raise again.

 

“I can’t wait for tomorrow”

 

----

 

*Reuben’s Manison*

 

“Do you think it was a good idea to turn him?”

 

Reuben eyed Basher calmly while he sipped his drink and Basher idly played with the remote control of some random electronic item.

 

“I couldn’t let him die.”

 

Basher’s eyes searched for his approval and Reuben sighed. How could it be, that he, a almost 60 year, ok over 60, but who was counting, anyway how could a over hundred year old vampire need approval from him?

 

“No I guess you couldn’t and now you will turn Danny too.”

 

It wasn’t a question, Reuben knew about the man Basher had loved and lost, knew how he had suffered and withdrawn from everyone. There was no way, Basher would let Rusty suffer like this and turning Danny was probably the best option, especially with what they planned.

 

“Well at least that will give Terry Benedict eternity to hunt them down.”

 

Basher just shook his head at the dark-humored comment and stared into his own drink.

 

“Once we’re done with the preliminary planning and everything, I need to contact Nick.”

 

The simply spoken words caused Reuben to drop his glass and cursing loudly he looked at the vampire.

 

“Why for god’s sake do you want to do this? You never cared about the clans.”

 

Basher helped him clean and his eyes were serious when he looked up.

 

“I still don’t, but I don’t have the freedom I enjoyed anymore. By tomorrow night I will be the sire of two new vampires and they don’t belong into Camelot.”

 

Reuben wasn’t convinced, of course he knew who Nick was even though he hadn’t met the man personally being a chosen one of Camelot. But he too knew the profession of the three leaders of Sylum.

 

“So you’re going to tell a CSI and his lover, who happens to be a CSI too, that you and Rusty and Danny are here in Las Vegas? Don’t you think he will find it a bit odd to see you just two weeks before fight night? And even more, don’t you think he will draw a conclusion once Benedict reports it all?”

 

Now it was Basher’s turn to laugh.

 

“First, you don’t honestly think that Terry Benedict of all people will report such a robbery do you? Second, Nick will draw conclusions, but he’s pretty darn good in separating clan and CSI business and thirdly he’d better get used to the fact that he has two con-man in his clan, cause they won’t become honest men just because they are vampires.”

 

Reuben just rolled his eyes at the daredevil attitude of the dark-skinned vampire. The vampire had never cared about convention or other peoples thought’s, not when he still had been alive and certainly not now that he was a vampire. Then a thought occurred him and he cocked his head looking at Basher.

 

“And if Nick calls this Riddick?”

 

Basher laughed loudly.

 

“You honestly think he would voluntarily do this?”

 

He had never met the hunter, but if the stories were true, then maybe Basher was right and Nick Stokes the Sylum leader would do anything to prevent one Richard Riddick from flying to Las Vegas.

 

“You better be sure about this.”

 

Basher just grinned slightly manic and Reuben shook his head again, when the door bell rang. Groaning, Reuben got up and looked on the security monitor.

 

“Hey Bash, the rest of your merry group is here.”

 

Draping the golden robe around him, Reuben opened the door and eyed the group of men standing outside.

 

“What, you guys got a group rate or something?”

 

---

 

*Rusty and Danny’s flat*

 

“God I hate this”

 

Danny’s grumble woke him or better said, it had been the phone that woke him, but Danny’s rumbling complaining brought him to reality. A reality that made him shiver with love and passion as he felt the small thread of their bond inside him.

 

“Come on immortal guy, you go and get the phone. You don’t age, I do and I still need my beauty sleep.”

 

Trust Danny to use his ‘nature’ as an excuse not to get up, sighing and yet smiling Rusty got up and padded naked over the floor. The voice on the other phone made him smile even more, Bash sounded even more tired than he was.

 

“Your guys arrived yesterday...”

 

Of course, in the whole mess of Danny coming home and everything, he had completely forgotten about their men’s arrival date.

 

“... can you tell me who the hell asked the Mormon twins????”

 

He felt two arms around him and a warm body pressing against him, before he heard Danny’s chuckle as he answered Basher’s question.

 

“That would be your first born... want to ground him for it?”

 

Basher laughed too, but turned serious again.

 

“Listen guys, we have to postpone the turning, if you still want to of course, until later tonight. The men want to know what is going on. Reuben is hosting a BBQ tonight, so better be prepared.”

 

Rusty saw Danny roll his eyes at the comment and before his lover could say anything, he answered his sire.

 

“Have you ever seen us not prepared?”

 

Basher didn’t comment on this, just told them to be there at six and hang up. Rusty turned in Danny’s arms and kissed his mate good morning.

 

“Looks like we’ve got a busy day ahead. How do we start?”

 

Danny withdrew and tossed him a t-shirt and a evil smirk.

 

“By upping the stakes”

 

---

 

*Nick and Warrick’s flat – Las Vegas*

 

“You can’t be serious, I mean what are the chances that of all people you ran into him?”

 

Warrick looked up from the book he read, when he heard Nick’s shout. Putting a credit card in between the pages, he got up and walked over to his mate. Nick smiled and put Tony on speaker.

 

‘I tell you, he looked exactly like Seth at least from afar.’

 

Nick and Warrick exchanged slightly worried, but at the same time highly amused glances at Tony’s typical excited way of telling something.

 

“So you talked to him?”

 

‘No of course not, I mean, I just walked up and asked him if Nick knew that he was there.”

 

For a moment Nick froze and Warrick forgot to close his mouth.

 

“Are you out of your mind?”

 

‘Thanks Nick, exactly what I said too.’

 

‘No Jethro, you shouted it’

 

‘So did Nick, love, you just have your phone almost silent.’

 

“Guys, stop your foreplay, you did what?”

 

Nick still seemed flabbergasted.

 

‘He turned and told me that I must have mistaken him from someone else. He was about forty I guessed and hey I was right.’

 

Now the two CSI looked confused at each other, but Tony continued immediately.

 

‘He dropped a piece of paper and I ran it for prints.’

 

‘Cause has nothing else to do anyway...’

 

Nick bit his lip in order not to laugh at Jethro’s comment, Warrick on the other hand just chucked silently.

 

‘I got a name... The guy is Danny Ocean, 40, just out of from a three year prison sentence for stealing incan matrimonial head masks.’

 

“Incan matrimonial head masks”

 

Warrick repeated the words with a grin and a shake of his head. But Tony wasn’t done yet.

 

‘And now listen to this, according to his profile he was connected to several cons over the last decades but never convicted... Now guess who the Feds think he is working with.’

 

He didn’t even have to guess, somehow he had known that things would get much more complicated very soon and feeling Warrick’s eyes on him Nick answered slowly.

 

“Rusty Ryan”

 

----

 

+Chapter 8+

 

*Reuben’s Mansion – Las Vegas*

 

Rusty watched from the side as Danny stood in the room, a tournament level pool table next to him with a elaborate miniature of Terry Benedict’s Las Vegas next to him. Smiling invitingly he waved everyone closer and once more Rusty couldn’t help but admire Danny’s charisma. With a grand gesture he pointed at the model and then just before he started to speak Rusty saw him searching for his eyes and saw the love in them.

 

It made him shiver and he almost missed the first couple of words.

 

“Gentlemen: the 14000 block of Las Vegas Boulevard. Otherwise known as the Bellagio, the Mirage, the M.G.M. Grand. Together, they're the three most profitable casinos in Las Vegas...”

 

Gauging the reaction from the ten other men, he removed the strip from the model to reveal the three tunnels and the vault in the middle.

 

“The Bellagio vault. Located below the Strip, beneath two hundred feet of solid earth. It safeguards every dime that comes through each of the three casinos above it.”

 

He paused for excitement’s sake and once again his eyes quickly searched for Rusty before he added the deciding sentence.

 

“And we're going to rob it.”

 

---

 

*The Bellagio Casino – Las Vegas*

 

Terry Benedict looked at the man opposite him. Sam Brown certainly was a force to be reckoned with, owner of several casinos and hotels the older man had once been Las Vegas. As it was, Terry Benedict dined with him once a month to share news and gossip and just general pleasantries.

 

In private he couldn’t stand the other man.

 

Sam Brown stood for everything Terry Benedict loathed in Las Vegas.

 

Sam Brown’s Las Vegas was the mob’s Vegas, the one with the topless showgirls and the seedy bars. Sam Brown was Old Vegas. He was Las Vegas’ past.

 

Terry Benedict wanted to be Las Vegas’ future.

 

No more showgirls, no more mob or at least not openly shown connections. Instead Terry Benedict supported the latest Manet exhibition in the art centre and had contracted the Cirque du Soleil for his casinos. The Las Vegas of his vision was a clean cut version, a Disneyland for adults to gamble, a place where everything was under perfect control, his control.

 

“So, I heard you found yourselves a daughter”

 

He saw how Sam’s face darkened immediately and smiled inwardly. The rumour mill had been frantic after Brown’s case had been overthrown due to the inability of the CSI to testify. From mistress to daughter, the blond woman had been called everything. It was nice, Benedict thought that he had guessed right.

 

“Mind your own business, Benedict”

 

There was a barely veiled threat in Brown’s words and voice and it made Benedict smile. Sam Brown still thought he owned the town and for a while he would let him live in this delusion.

 

“Just asking a question.”

 

The older man just looked at him before he got up and deliberately let his glass fall onto the expensive carpet.

 

“You never just ask Benedict, you always have a point and a reason.”

 

Terry Benedict didn’t bother to stand up, his eyes just followed the older casino owner as he left his rooms. Only then did he dial a number and ask for someone to clean up the mess. The clock on his desk chimed softly and with a practised smile he got up and left the room through the other door.

 

It was exact five to seven as he stepped out into the corridor and into the elevator. The mirror showed him the image of a man in control and for a short moment he allowed himself to feel pride at what he had achieved. Then the elevator doors opened and with a professional smile he stepped into the lobby.

 

It was seven pm sharp.

 

*Reuben’s Mansion – Las Vegas*

 

For a moment there was silence after Danny’s announcement. Then casually as if he had only just heard of this like everyone else, Basher shrugged and commented to no one in particular.

 

“Should be a piece of cake”

 

Six men stared incredulously at him, while Danny, Rusty and Reuben tried not to laugh. Seeing the attention back on Danny, Rusty prepared himself for the speech they had practised today for three hours.

 

Here goes nothing...

 

 

“Okay.    Bad news first. This place houses   a security system which rivals   most nuclear missile silos. First:    we have to get within the casino   cages –“

 

And with an elegant hand wave towards Rusty, Danny told him that he was on. Slowly he pointed the laser towards the places of the cages.

 

“-- here, here, and here –“

 

Danny continued obviously enjoying the glances of his friends who obviously thought that he had gone mad.

 

“-- which anyone knows takes more than a smile. Next: through these doors, each of which requires a different six-digit code changed every twelve hours. Past those lies the elevator, and this is where it gets tricky: the elevator won't move without authorized fingerprint identifications –“

 

His turn again.

 

“—which we can’t fake—“

 

Danny continued as he hadn’t heard him.

 

“-- and vocal confirmations from both the security center within the Bellagio and the vault below - -“

 

Rusty chimed in again.

 

“-- which we won't get.”

 

Danny once again took up where he had left.

 

“Furthermore, the elevator shaft is rigged with motion detectors –“

 

Time to destroy the good mood, Rusty could hear the accelerating heart beats all-around and it made him smile lightly.

 

“ -- meaning if we manually override the lift, the shaft's exit will lock down automatically and we'll be trapped.”

 

And now it was Danny’s turn to deliver the last piece of information before they all probably walked out never to be seen again.

 

“Once we've gotten down the shaft, though, then it's a walk in the park: just three more guards with Uzis and predilections toward not being robbed, and the most elaborate vault door conceived by man. Any questions?”

 

No, no one had questions, but amazingly no one walked out either and Rusty smiled lightly. He and Danny had a certain reputation and that exact reputation was why not one man had walked out yet. They had a reputation of making the impossible happen.

 

It was one of the twins who finally spoke out and Rusty groaned inwardly, yet another bet he’d lost and he had been so sure that it would be Saul who’d ask that question. Fuck, never bet with Danny Ocean...

 

“You said something about good news...”

 

He saw the smile in Danny’s face and felt his face heat up as he thought what they’d bet about. Oh dear...

 

“The Nevada Gaming Commission stipulates: A casino must hold in reserve enough cash to cover every chip at play on its floor. As I mentioned, this vault services each of the three casinos above. That means during the week by law, it must hold anywhere from sixty to seventy million dollars in cash and coin. On a weekend between eighty and ninety million. On a fight night, like the one we’re going to rob it, at least a hundred and fifty million. Without breaking a sweat.”

 

He could hear the gasps and for a moment he wondered if a vampire could mind-read too, then seeing Danny’s grin he understood that it had nothing to do with vampirism and everything with understanding human nature.

 

“Now there are eleven of us. Each with an equal share, you do the math.”

 

For a moment they all sat in stunned silence as the amount slowly trickled in. Then Saul coughed once, twice and finally spoke.

 

“I have a question. Say we do get into the cage, and through the security doors there, and down the elevator we can’t move, and past the guards with guns, and into the vault we can’t open...”

 

Rusty saw Danny wink at him and took his cue.

 

“... without being seen by the camera...”

 

At the collective gasp he turned and looked innocently.

 

“Sorry forgot to mention it, but hey, isn’t that standard equipment anyway?”

 

Saul just shook his head partly annoyed partly amused and continued.

 

“Say we do all that. We’re just supposed to walk outta there with a hundred million dollars in cash on us without getting stopped?”

 

The grin that now seemed to split Danny’s face in half was one of Rusty’s favourites and it made him want to kiss his lover as he just shrugged.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Again there was a moment of astonished silence before Saul seemingly defeated shook his head and grabbed for his medicine.

 

“Oh, oh okay then.”

 

Danny caught Rusty’s eyes and spread out a plan.

 

“Okay, here’s how we begin.”

 

And off they were, the things had been set in motion. Now there was no turning back anymore, but Rusty didn’t feel anxious, just a calm and a feeling of looking forward.

 

Once they had sorted out the roles and the jobs, he, Danny and Basher would be alone and Danny would become his mate.

 

---

 

*Crime Scene – Miami Dade*

 

“Speed what is wrong?”

 

Horatio looked at his lover and mate as the younger CSI suddenly shivered. Quickly he glanced around and drew Speed towards hidden spot and in his arms.

 

“Nothing, just suddenly felt cold.”

 

Noticing the pale skin, Horatio shook his head and scolded gently but firmly.

 

“You haven’t fed have you? Wasn’t it you who told me that it was essential never to get too hungy?”

 

Softly he kissed his mate and leaned in, before he walked back out into plain sight.

 

“Go home Speedle, you look like death warmed over, I really don’t want you to vomit all over my crime scene.”

 

Speed sent him a grateful look that turned into a slightly evil grin as he saw the car that drove up towards their scene in high speed.

 

“Thanks H, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

 

Horatio watched as his mate went to his car and drove away. Normally Speed wasn’t so good in taking orders, just then Riddick appeared in the door and H chuckled smilingly. Ok, got it...

 

“H, we have to talk. I need to go to Vegas.”

 

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes towards the sky, Horatio took Riddick on his arm and led him outside.

 

“Why did Nick call?”

 

Riddick just growled, but shook his head and with inward grin Horatio thought that Nick would never call unless he couldn’t help it. Las Vegas wasn’t really ready for Richard Riddick...

 

“I think it’s better if you stay here. Speed and I will have to fly up to New York to testify in this case where we met Danny and Mac and I don’t want Calleigh, Alexx and Eric without protection.”

 

It wasn’t exactly fair, but Horatio figured that Nick needed a break and hey, Miami had survived the Cubans, the Voodoo, the mob and the meth labs...

 

It would survive Riddick for a bit longer.

 

---

 

+Chapter 9+

 

*Reuben's Mansion - Las Vegas*

 

"That was a great show; I've got to give you that."

 

Reuben sat back comfortably and looked at Danny with a fond smile.

 

"Yeah it was and if you manage to get even half way without having your ass dragged to jail, I am willing to pay you a week in Hawaii with Rusty in a suite."

 

Rusty grinned and Basher just groaned as Danny immediately shook Reuben's hand. It seemed that Reuben hadn't yet learned the most basic rule of gambling:

 

Never ever bet with Danny Ocean...

 

---

 

Danny grinned as he shook Reuben's hand before he turned over towards Rusty, his lover was smiling and the love in his blue eyes was so deep, so clear that Danny had to force himself not to walk over and capture the smaller man in his arms. Rusty and he had agreed to keep themselves secret until the job was done, they didn't want their love to interfere with anything and Danny had a feeling that not everyone would be as welcoming as Basher had been.

 

"Oh for god's sake, just go over and kiss him, you old sap."

 

The comment from Reuben took Danny aback and made Rusty chuckle, both though sent an uneasy glance towards Basher who just grinned and held up his hands.

 

"Hey, he hasn't gotten it from me ok?"

 

Reuben just grunted at that comment and groaning a bit got up to mix himself another drink.

 

"Not from him, he says, well I guess getting the clue that you are lovers was kind of easy after Bash told me he's turning you tonight so that you can be with your mate."

 

Danny froze at those words and it wasn't the thought of being turned that made him look at Reuben shocked, no it was the calm and easy way the older man was talking about something he'd only just found out yesterday.

 

"Oh for god's sake, don't look at me like that. Did you not listen to Basher when he told you about the Chosen One's?"

 

He had listened, but somehow Danny couldn't see himself feeding from Reuben and the thought of Rusty sucking so intimately from the older man's neck as he had done from Danny himself made Danny growl with jealousy. Rusty looked at him and it was as if his lover could read his mind.

 

"Not every feeding is as intimate and charged as ours was yesterday."

 

There was a whisper of something in the amused voice and with a frown Danny looked at the younger man, vampire he corrected himself in his thoughts. Rusty's eyes were dark with longing and with a start he realized what Rusty was longing for. The memory of those incredible feelings made him tremble with desire and forgetting about the other people in the room he walked over to his lover. Strong arms held him back before he could reach Rusty.

 

"For god's sake, you making my head spin with all the pheromones in the air. You can have all the sex you want later, but right now, I need you with a clear head and a clear mind ok?"

 

Basher's eyes were completely focused on Danny and Danny felt the power of the vampire, the real power, the one hidden behind the carefree façade of Basher.

 

"Do you consent to be turned?"

 

Shivering lightly, Danny knew that his answer would change everything forever, every plan he'd ever had, every idea of life, every move he would make in the future. He would literally and figuratively die tonight and be born again.

 

And yet, the answer was so easy, so logical and he smiled softly.

 

"I do"

 

Basher smiled and almost fatherly kissed his forehead, Danny felt his blood pound in his ears, felt his heart rate speed up and silently wondered if he would ever miss not hearing it again. His eyes searched for Rusty as he bent his head and presented his neck.

 

"Not here, this is a ten-thousand dollar carpet."

 

Reuben's cry broke the spell Basher had woven around Danny and with amused and yet annoyed eyes the older vampire looked at his friend.

 

"What do you think I am? I'm not turning Danny while he is standing up... Can you show us a room with a large bed and a nice bathroom?"

 

Grumbling something about demanding vampires Reuben got up and walked out. Basher looked at Rusty who stood next to the bar looking anxious, Danny on the other hand just walked over to his lover, grasped his hand with his and only then followed the others. Rusty's grip on his hands was firm and he could see the tension in his lover in the set of his shoulders

 

"I want you with me, I want to see you, want to feel you next to me."

 

He spoke quietly and smiled relieved when the tension visibly disappeared.

 

"I am happy that you will be with me soon, that we will bond completely, but I am scared too... What if it doesn't work? What if I lose you? It will be so painful; I wished I could take it from you."

 

The fear in Rusty's voice made Danny stop and he turned around to hold him close for a moment. When they finally entered the spacious room, Danny hoped that Basher would be able to calm Rusty down. The older vampire saw his look and calmly made his way over towards his childe.

 

"Rusty, the pain is part of what we all are, it is part of what makes us us."

 

He smiled confidently at the younger man.

 

"And believe me; I won't fuck this up..."

 

His smile disappeared and a deep sadness appeared in the dark expressive eyes.

 

"... I would never leave you without a mate; I would never do this to you."

 

Danny saw the pain in Basher and almost instinctively he reached out.

 

"You all right?"

 

The emotion was gone by the time the vampire turned around and he smiled again.

 

"I am, don't worry, I am."

 

Then with a friendly smile, he looked at Reuben.

 

"Please, don't take this the wrong way, Reuben, but I would like to be alone with them, is that ok?"

 

Reuben huffed but he nodded and left the room leaving the three alone. Danny looked at his lover and his soon-to-be sire and slowly unbuttoned the shirt he wore leaving his chest naked. Basher looked at Rusty, whose eyes were glued to his mate's body and with a soft smile told his childe to undress as well.

 

Finally Danny was resting on the large bed with Rusty lying close to him, caressing his hair softly.

 

"Rusty, I want you to lay down next to him and hold his hand, first I will drink of him and drain him, I want you to be with him, guide him through the pain, I will be there too so that the parent-child bond can be set, but I want you to be part of this."

 

The words confused Danny and although his entire body trembled at the thought of experiencing this ecstasy again, he objected.

 

“Will that work? Didn’t you say that it would be a problem when Rusty is so close?”

 

He trailed off, when Basher shook his head in mock annoyance.

 

"To have you two as students will be very, very challenging. But first of all, yes I will turn you, but there is no reason why Rusty can't be with you. You have started the bonding already, so he can’t drink from you right now since it would disturb the bond between you and me, but there is nothing to be said against him being there too..."

 

He said it with a grin and finally Danny understood and with a sigh and a smile he lay back down and waited for Rusty. Soon enough he felt a kiss on his jaw, a soft tongue trailing a path of fire down his throat to his neck and to the place where his lover had broken the skin only yesterday. Rusty kissed him and unconsciously hungering for his mate, Danny arched his back and screamed with protest as Basher softly made Rusty draw back and instinctively his arms tightened around his mate.

 

“Stop this Danny, drink some water and then give me your hand.”

 

His vision blurred with longing as he grabbed the water and with a shiver, he reached out for Basher. The older vampire sat down on the other side of the bed and looked straight into his eyes.

 

“Do you consent in your turning?”

 

Danny felt Rusty’s hand sneak into his and with a smile he first looked at his mate, then his soon-to-be sire.

 

“I do”

 

Basher smiled lightly and leaned down, his hand quickly caressed Danny’s neck and with a relieved sight Danny noticed that Basher would not bite him at the same spot as Rusty had, still he felt unsettled at the thought of experiencing the same feelings as with Rusty, the thought of unknowingly betraying his lover.

 

All his thoughts vanished though as Basher’s fangs broke his skin. This was nothing like Rusty, the warmth and feeling of home was still there, but it was different, more a feeling of security, of safety... and with a start Danny understood that his was the way a child felt when with their parents... it was really different and other than with Rusty, Basher didn’t stop even as Danny felt himself getting tired, felt coldness chase the warmth away... For a moment fear gripped him and he tensed.

 

“Shhh... it’s alright, trust Basher, he will not let you go...”

 

Rusty’s hand softly caressed his face and he concentrated on his lover’s blue eyes that held his own. Everything turned blurry, then suddenly Basher gripped his face and made him jerk awake.

 

“Danny, I need you to drink from me...”

 

He knew what was expected of him, had talked to Rusty and Basher before, but now as the moment came he was too tired, felt too exhausted and just wanted to fall back and sleep. A sharp pain suddenly flared up in his hand and he moaned as he opened his eyes again.

 

“Drink, please Danny, I can’t lose you”

 

Rusty’s voice was frantic and suddenly Danny understood that he had been about to slip away, fear and something else, something dark gripped him as he latched onto Basher’s wrist and drank the blood that would turn him. It tasted weird, but not bad and even better than the blood was the sudden joy in Rusty’s eyes. Danny tried to smile at his lover, but darkness once again tugged at his mind and this time he gave in.

 

---

 

*Riddick and Eric’s flat – Miami*

 

“What is it about this Basher that makes you go so ballistic?”

 

Eric knew that he was walking a fine line with his mate sitting next to him, but still needed to know. The anger and almost hate that had seemed to pour off Riddick was something Eric had only seen when someone had threatened either the twins or Eric himself.

 

It unsettled Eric and he could feel through their bond that something was not right with his lover. Riddick was silent for a long time, then finally he sighed.

 

“Basher just gets on my nerves... I don’t know he’s just got the ability to push every single anger button I have. It’s not because he’s a thief, I am not that much a hypocrite, but the way he just always rubbed it in when he got something faster than I did.”

 

It wasn’t the entire story and Eric was silent, waiting patiently for his lover to continue. The silent, patient smile earned him a growl and a light swat on his head. Speed and Horatio looked at each other and grinned.

 

“You really got that look down, did Alexx give you lessons?”

 

Eric chuckled but didn’t let himself get distracted neither by the words nor by Riddick’s wandering hands. Smiling lovingly he captured both hands, kissed them and finally looked at his mate.

 

“We’ve got guests so behave. Just tell me ok, it can’t be just the competition between you... There is much more, I feel almost hate coming off you...”

 

Riddick looked shocked and immediately captured Eric in his arms, Speed looked concerned now and Eric saw how Horatio unconsciously moved closer too.

 

“It has nothing to do with Basher... It’s just that wherever Basher is, Stendhal is too.”

 

The name didn’t sound familiar and Eric looked quizzically at his lover, Speed sighed once again and looking at Riddick he slowly started to explain.

 

“Stendhal used to be on Mot’s council, the Scandinavian clan. They had two researcher, well still have Kurt and Stefan, that both worked with Alfred Nobel on his experiments on Dynamite. Nobel was a very unusual guy for his time and when he met a gifted young street rat on his travels in London, he asked the guy whether he would be interested in joining his research team.

 

It was a risk of course, but then Nobel was a risk taker... The guy accepted and joined Nobel. Kurt and Stefan were thrilled with him; he was clever, street smart but had a knack for explosives even though he couldn’t explain the chemical reaction behind it.”

 

Eric looked at Speed and then at his mate. He saw pain in Riddick’s voice and wondered if Riddick saw the parallels between him and Basher, both boys from the street, both taken in by well standing men, and both robbed of everything by an envious vampire.

 

“The guy was Basher.”

 

Speed nodded and continued.

 

“Stendhal was what you would call a racist today, as a member of the council he regularly got reports from Kurt and Stefan and when he found out that a black guy from England was being praised as the up and coming guy in the lab, he freaked. He ordered Nobel to sack him, but as I said there was nothing usual in Alfred Nobel and so he just told to council member to mind his own business.”

 

Speed trailed off, shaking his head silently at the stupidity of some people and how ignorance and racism still existed now, decades after this episode.

 

“Three days later there was a huge explosion in the lab. Basher had just entered the room, when the entire room blew up, he saw Stefan unconscious in there and ran to save him. He made it out, but broke down there. Kurt brought him to their clan’s residence and there Jekyll who was working with Nobel too, turned him.”

 

Eric looked confused, then realized and shuddered.

 

“Bet that didn’t go over too well with Stendhal...”

 

Speed looked at Riddick and shook his head.

 

“No it didn’t, he tried to kill both Jekyll and Basher in the night after the turning, and thankfully Ulf was watchful and prevented the attack. Stendhal was cast out from Mot and they tried to hunt him down ever since without success.”

 

Riddick let go of Eric and looked at Speed, then finished the tale himself.

 

“He’s been after Basher ever since that night because he blames him for what happened.”

 

Eric looked between the two older vampires and felt that it wasn’t everything and he saw the same confusion in Horatio’s eyes.

 

“So what does that have to do with you?”

 

Horatio’s cool voice was friendly, but the confusion and slight annoyance could be heard, Riddick smiled coldly before he looked at Eric intently.

 

“Seventy years ago I met Basher when I was hunting in Europe with Thomas, I met him we clicked, I liked him but I had an idea of the shadow he always brought with him.”

 

Eric saw the pain in Riddick’s eyes and felt the hurt and pain his mate experienced by just relieving the episode.

 

“Thomas?”

 

He had never heard the name and looked questioningly at Riddick whose eyes were dark with sadness and remembered pain.

 

“Thomas was one of the first I took under my wing. He had been turned without consent and when I met him, was straight on his way to become a ruthless rogue just as his sire had been. It took me months and years until he trusted me, understood that I knew how he felt.”

 

Eric could it imagine, could almost see how Riddick’s soft side won over the hardened heart and he took a younger stray in.

 

“Stendhal kidnapped him to lure Basher out...”

 

Riddick shivered and nodded once again he pressed Eric close to his body as if to ensure himself that his mate was safe and with him, that the mistakes he had made with Thomas would never been repeated. Only then did he continue to speak.

 

“Basher left the moment he heard about Stendhal...” There was venom in Riddick’s voice and finally Eric understood the hate and anger. “... not caring what happened to Thomas. He just abandoned us.”

 

Eric heard the pain in the harsh words and shivered. His eyes searched for Speed’s and silently he asked his sire for help.

 

“Tony and I got Riddick’s call and found Thomas, Stendhal had not harmed him, but when we found him, he was weakened by hunger and had lost his will to live. Stendhal had heard about Basher’s disappearance and had just left him in his prison.”

 

Speed looked at Riddick and Eric, his hands searching for Horatio’s before he continued to speak.

 

“Two months after we found Thomas, he came to Riddick and asked him to take his head.”

 

Eric gasped at the sharp pain he felt from his mate at those words, slowly he looked at the pale hunter and saw the answer to the question in his eyes.

 

“You couldn’t do it.”

 

Riddick shook his head and drew Eric closer.

 

“Gabriel did it for me.”

 

Shortly after the two other vampire’s left and Eric was alone with his mate. He saw how reliving the past had hurt Riddick and sighing softly, he leaned against the strong chest.

 

“Don’t you think that now would be the perfect time to forgive Basher? I know what he did was wrong, but did you ever talk with him why he just left? Holding grudges for so long, I’m only a young vampire but I can’t imagine it being healthy...”

 

His lover looked up and Eric saw the love and peace in those silver eyes, slowly carefully Riddick leaned down and kissed him.

 

“I’ll think about it ok?”

 

Eric grinned and nodded, before he gasped as Riddick’s hand slid lower and lower. Pretty soon his mind and body were occupied with more pleasurable thoughts.

 

---

 

*Reuben's Mansion - Las Vegas*

 

It was probably one of the hardest things Rusty had ever done and no matter how hard he tried to keep a reign on his emotions he couldn’t help the tears that slid down his face as he saw Danny trash around on the bed, as he heard his mate cry out with pain.

 

Softly he caressed the damp forehead and whispered words of love and encouragement in his ears.

 

“Talk to him, tell him about the job and the plans you have when it is done, it helps if he hears your voice, can feel you near.”

 

Basher sat in a chair a bit away from them and Rusty was grateful for his sire’s sense of privacy. It had been hard to see the other man feed on Danny and even though he knew that it was different, had experienced it himself, he had felt jealousy wake up in him.

 

“Rusty”

 

Danny’s whisper brought him back to reality and to his mate and with a smile he saw that the process was over, Danny was awake. A shiver went through the new vampire’s body and he looked confused at Rusty.

 

“I’m cold”

 

Rusty remembered how Basher had made him take a bath to get rid of the tension and the cold in his body and as if he had heard Rusty’s thoughts, the other vampire came up on the other side of the bed, smiling at Danny.

 

“Come on, drink this and then we will take you to a hot bath.”

 

Danny looked at the warm red liquid and then at Rusty, the fear and yet the trust in his mate’s eyes made Rusty smile and he nodded in encouragement. Danny wrinkled his nose before he drained the glass and put it down looking shocked.

 

“That actually tastes ok.”

 

Basher grinned and pointed towards the bath.

 

“Go and look at you.”

 

Once in front of the mirror, Danny got the same lecture about never going this hungry that Basher had given Rusty after his turning. When he had finished he looked at Rusty and shook his head.

 

“Don’t look at me like this Rusty, you don’t want to have a human life on your conscience, do you?”

 

The serious voice of his sire sobered Rusty and he swallowed hard. Nodding honestly he saw Danny looking at him and smiling.

 

“Looks like we’ve acquired a new dad...”

 

Basher couldn’t help a smile at that comment and continued to teach Danny how to tune his senses and how to turn off all the sight and smell… When he was through, Danny looked exhausted and Basher walked towards the door.

 

“Take a bath, relax and just get a feeling for everything. Let Rusty take care of you.”

 

Rusty blushed as he realized what Basher meant and shook his head.

 

“You have a dirty mind Basher.”

 

The older vampire smiled and sighed.

 

“No, but I know how strong the pull of the bond is. It is better if you complete it tonight. Then we have that matter worked though and none of you is going to bite one of the other guys just because he’s standing a bit closer than necessary.”

 

Rusty realized that Basher was saying the truth, he could feel the pull towards Danny and with a smile he started unbuttoning his pants.

 

Danny still stood in front of the mirror, practising with his fangs and senses, but as Basher turned to leave them alone he reached out and held the older man back.

 

“Thank you, thank you for giving me this gift.”

 

Basher smiled and looked at his children.

 

“Enjoy the night”