Undying Hunger

Ch. 2: You're not special

Dante didn't know a single second of peace in his life. Quiet couldn't exist with five siblings all simultaneously texting him, henchmen calling him and leaving voicemails about roughing up Reid's ex, and the dozen of missed calls from his assistant.

Dante was not a dreamer. He regained consciousness in the cold harsh reality of the real world on the ground, naked and only covered by a tablecloth, wrapped around Reid.

Reid.

Memories pounded Dante's mind in headache producing waves. Crashing into him were images of tables, the floor, a chair, and once underneath the floral archway. His worst fears came true, much to his horror. The bite marks on Reid's neck. The empty bottles surrounding them, condoms, and general mess. The weight of his parents' century old disapproval is coming back in full force.

Dante searched the floor for his pants, grabbing the pants leg and pulling it so he could reach for his phone. Reid groaned at the noise, turning away from Dante. Reid, with his naked back towards him and a horrible deafening whistle, sliced into Dante's mind as he spotted the old bullet wounds in his back.

Gia's name splashed across the screen again. He quickly answered, "Yes? Hello?"

"Finally!" Gia cried, but that wasn't odd. Gia loved a good panic. "Sir, I've been trying to reach you." Gia's voice snuck in, muffled by the whistle and Dante's living nightmare. "Your highness, it's late in the afternoon and it'll be a four-hour plane ride back and your clothes are here. Her highness, Tabitha, doesn't like lateness."

"I know, I know," Dante said, stalling to pull himself together. He hurried up, gathering pieces of his clothes and finding only one sock. Bending down, Dante shook Reid's shoulder, who groaned and slapped his hand away. Dante shook him again anyway. "Get up. We have to go."

Glancing around the wedding venue, Dante closed his eyes and wondered if his parents were watching him and hoping they weren't. The weight of their judgement bore down on Dante's shoulders. They'd never understand why he was here. Why he did what he did.

"You go," Reid snapped.

"We're leaving together."

Finally opening his eyes, Reid turned on Dante with a nasty glare. "You haven't seen me in a hundred and two years and now you're obsessed with me? Get a life." Reid turned over again, pulling the tablecloth over his naked shoulders.

Dropping his shoulders, Dante's sigh was so large he almost deflated completely. This was the last thing Dante wanted to do, but drastic times called for drastic measures. He snatched Reid up and off the ground.

"What are you doing?!" Reid barked, but Dante ignored him, throwing Reid over his shoulder, wrapped up in the tablecloth like a worm. No matter how much Reid struggled, Dante had him pinned tight around his arm.

"Is my car still outside?" Dante asked Gia, who was still on the phone.

"Yes, sir."

"Have them immediately pull up."

"And you put me down," Reid demanded and was ignored again. Without wasting time, Dante kicked the door open. "Are you crazy?" Reid yelped, bending around Dante to hide his face.

"I'm late, so who knows what I'll do?" Dante strutted through the hotel lobby, garnering more attention than he expected, when he remembered he was also shoeless and shirtless. Walking outside to find his car parked in the front, Dante first tossed Reid inside, then their clothes, and slammed the door shut behind him. "Go fast," Dante commanded.

Poking out of the tablecloth, Reid huffed. "Now you're kidnapping me?"

"I'm late for an important dinner, so you have to tag along, and you have to behave."