Dead Before Dawn: The Vampire Curse

Chapter 12 - Accidents Happen (non-explicit version)

A/N: There are two versions of CH12. Being aware that some people prefer to read less explicit sex scenes, this is the edited NON-EXPLICIT version (it's lost about 500 words :)). The couple still have sex, but, lets just say, there are no descriptions of intimate act. If you already read the previous version, skip on to Chapter 13 :).

~*~

After the whole hunter debacle, Max was well aware his sister did not want him to leave her sight, but her room was only next door and she looked like she needed sleep. He had explained everything, leaving very little out and Cal was even more protective. She'd almost followed him into the bathroom when he went to clean off the blood all over him. Luckily good sense had won that one and Gian and Cal had done their best to tidy up the main room while he was busy.

It took him over an hour after they had finished dinner to convince her that sleeping would be a good thing, but eventually he managed to gently make her go to bed. Then he collapsed on the couch in his room and just stared at the ceiling for a while.

"You should sleep as well," Gian said after a little while and Max finally looked up and realised his friend was still standing there.

In his need to see to his sister he'd almost forgotten Gian hadn't gone back to his room as well. They'd been buds for a good few years now, having met at a premiere party and hit it off. They might live on opposite sides of the Atlantic most of the time, but Max considered Gian one of his closest friends.

"Yeah," he agreed, but he had a nagging suspicion he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He was tired, especially after the events of the evening, but his mind felt annoyingly awake. He climbed to his feet and padded over to Gian.

"Sorry about almost getting you killed," he said, giving his friend a hug.

He felt guilty about forgetting about Gian as well, after all they had all been involved in the evening's disaster.

"Life is more exciting around you," Gian told him with a small smile.

It was not one of Gian's devastating smiles that made people hold their breath and swoon at his feet (Max had felt the power of those before), but it was still delightful, and Max felt himself overcome with the desire to kiss the lips that made it. Before his mind caught up with his impulses, he found himself doing just that. His brain kicked in a few seconds later and he drew back, startled.

"Sorry," he apologised immediately at Gian's rather shocked expression.

Contrary to popular opinion in some of their acquaintances' circles, they had never been anything but friends. Max knew Gian was bi and Gian knew he was gay, but they'd never taken their friendship to those levels, not even to work of some tension when filming.

"Do not apologise, mon ami," Gian said immediately, ever the gentleman, "it was a nice kiss, but forgive me, I did not realise you felt this way about me."

"Um ... I ..," Max said, trying to explain himself and failing; he'd been sitting on that particular desire for some years now, "fuck," just about summed up his mental state.

Gian gave him a very innocent look.

"You appear confused," Gian said with a small smile, "perhaps you expected me to be someone else?"

"No," Max said instantly and realised he had been goaded into admitting the truth by Swiss politeness.

On the outside Gian looked like a macho strong man, but he was actually a gentleman who was annoyingly perceptive. Max closed his eyes and took a breath, trying to work out what was going through his head.