(30) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"Ready to leave?" Helmut asked after a few more minutes of walking.

"I think so. This certainly gives one a sense of one's own mortality. Even me."

"We all die sometime, including us. What counts is what we do with our lives before it happens."

Linden glanced at him in surprise. "I didn't think you were one to wax philosophical."

"Occasionally, especially in a place like this," Helmut told him with a slight smile as they started back down the tunnel towards the exit. "Just don't expect it to happen too often."

"I sort of like that side of you. It's—umm, different from the domineering image you put out."

"Which is the real me."

Linden stopped, looking at him. "Is it?"

"You sound as if you don't believe me."

Tapping a finger against his lips, Linden searched Helmut's face in the dim light. Finally, he said, "I don't; but I think you believe it because you have to, because of what you are and what you do. It's not all of you though."

"Boy," Helmut warned, his voice low and growly, "don't try to make me into something I'm not."

"Why not? You are."

"Fuck you." Helmut started down the tunnel, not giving a damn at the moment if Linden followed or not. When he felt Linden grab his shoulder, he whirled around, ready to lay into him. He didn't get the chance to say a word. Linden's arms were around his neck as he kissed him ardently, holding nothing back. "You little shit, just what do you think you're doing," Helmut said almost angrily as he broke away.

"Same thing you've done to me. Only I meant it. For me it's not a game." Linden stood defiantly in front of him, not letting him move past him.

"You think it was a game for me?" Linden nodded once. "I'll show you games, boy," Helmut growled, grabbing Linden's hand, pulling him along behind him as he strode down the tunnel. When they reached the entrance chamber, he pressed Linden to the wall, not giving a damn if anyone was watching, and proceeded to ravage his mouth while grinding his hips against him.

He expected Linden to fight what was happening. Instead, the boy responded to both the kiss and the rest, moving with him as if they were totally alone in some darkened bedroom. Hardness met hardness and Helmut groaned low with need.

Linden broke the kiss, panting. "We have to—"

"To get out of here before we embarrass ourselves—"

"Which is going to be hard since we're—," Linden started laughing. "Hard."

"Yeah," Helmut agreed, taking a deep breath, trying to will his erection to subside so that they could leave.

"We could go back into the tunnel. That should help change the mood."

"Boy, right now nothing will do that."

"Sleazy old transient making a pass at you, your ugly first grade teacher, umm—"

"What?"

"Thinking of real turn-offs. Works for me."

Helmut checked and chuckled. "Apparently. So let's move it while we can."