The Stage

Disclaimer- I do not own Vassalord or its characters.

Plot Summary- Rayflo pushes Charley into doing some 'innocent' role-playing. Their acting however may just light a fire between them.

This is sinful.

Charley always had these thoughts when he drank from his master's neck. He didn't enjoy the feelings of guilt and anguish but it was the only way to keep him sane. It didn't stop him from praying for forgiveness. Each drop of Rayflo's blood that touched his tongue felt like a step closer to hell.

Rayflo moaned and held his naked body against him. Charley felt as if he should tell his Master to stop or at the very least tone it down but was too intoxicated by the promise of his master's blood. Besides—he would never admit so, but there was a part of Charley was thrilled by just how much Rayflo enjoyed the experience. He had always chopped it up to his admiration for Rayflo and that any kind of happy emotion from him made Charley happy. But there were times when the guilt set in that he knew better. He knew full well that part of it was because deep inside—he wanted Rayflo in the most intimate way possible.

Loving him is a sin.

"Cherry?" Rayflo asked in a whisper just as Charley was about to puncture his neck.

"Yes Master?"

"You love me, don't you?"

"You know the answer to that." Charley answered as if the question itself was ludicrous. He continued to answer anyway. "I love you as much as a man could love another man."

Rayflo snorted in annoyance. "In your religion or mine?"

"Master please, I haven't had blood in days." Charley wanted to change the subject before they got to that particular subject once again.

Fine but before that…Please look at me." Rayflo asked. Charley lift his head and set his eyes on to his masters. He was always fond of the way Rayflo's eyes held a stern dignity to them, yet seemed as gentle as a child's toy. The smoky color reminded him of the warmth Rayflo had provided him in a previous life.

His master smiled gently placing his hands on his shoulders. "You know Cherry; there are almost as many ways for me to get what I want, as there are ways to put a person to sleep."

Charley's gaze grew confused; slowly they filled with realization. "Master, what are…"

Before he could stop it, Rayflo's hand found Charley's pressure point. It didn't hurt the other man but Charley felt his conscious slip away from him gradually. His world eventually went black as he fell on top of Rayflo. The older man grunted from Charley's impact.

"Sorry Cherry," Rayflo's voice was amused as he flip Charley beside him. "But desperate times call for desperate measures."

Charley awoke 7 hours later. His mind was clouded and heavy with confusion. It took him only minutes to put the pieces together.

Master forced me to sleep. Why? He slowly turned to his side. He gaze fell upon a folded pile of clothing with a note pinned on top. He reached a mechanical hand out to grab the note and read it out loud.

"Dear Cherry, sorry I had to put you out for a few hours, but it was the only way this could work…On your bed is an outfit, put it on and go to the Black Rose club. Look for a man named Ray Johns. - Signed your beloved Master. P.S. Don't forget to style your hair…. What is this?"

Charley put the note aside and picked up the pile of clothing. He shook them out, only to find himself lost in their meaning. It was the same clothes he had used to infiltrate the Mafia prison. The "bad boy" look as his master called it. The pieces began to form but not completely. You should dress up like this sometime!

Master wants Charley to play.

Charley tugged on his coat once more before stepping out of his car. He had to look up the directions to the Black Rose Club and discovered that it was an underground club not far from the mansion. He also saw that the club was praised for it's fantastic bar, hard music, and dim lights for 'lovers'. Charley could only hope his Master didn't expect any of the following from him, but why else would he do this?

He didn't feel comfortable doing this. Everything was out of his limit. He missed the way his white coat kept everything covered. In this coat, his stomach always felt cold and revealed. He didn't like the suspicious looking people staring at him like a piece of meat. And he didn't like the way Rayflo was controlling the situation. Charley felt like a puppet with his Master pulling the strings and because he needed blood, there was nothing he could do about it.

Charley was about to walk into the club when a bouncer stopped him. "I.D."

"I'm…I'm sorry?" The large man rolled his eyes and held out his big gorilla-like hands.

"Your identification? Proof of age? Come on junior, I'm not getting any younger here." He said. Charley reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He handed the I.D. the Vatican had gotten especially for him to use on cases to the Bouncer and waited for a response. "Alright, go on in."

The card was back in his hand and the boulder stepped aside, allowing Charley to enter the cave known as the Black Rose. He stepped slowly through the doors walking through the corridors that lead to a dark hole with only yellow spot lights and rainbow lasers as his guide. He set his vision to night and looked for this Ray Johns.

How can I know who Ray Johns is anyway? Sure that his master must have made a mistake. A couple either dancing or mating near by bumped into him. Charley muttered a soft apology but figured they weren't paying attention anyway. He then decided to look by the bar and saw him.

He was relieved to see his master was in fact here—though not in his usual clothing, Charley noted. He was in a velvet colored suit, which hung on loosely to the skin tight white shirt he had underneath. His tie was a dark black that seemed to merge and fade in with the suit. Rayflo watched the dancers through one of the pairs of the very same glasses that Charley uses for show. His hair—rather than rustled in a pony tail—was draped freely around his shoulders. His master's appearance was surprisingly attractive to him.

It was then that the final pieces began to fall together. Suddenly, the picture was clear as day. Ray Johns, Johnny Rayflo…I was meeting him all along. Charley wasn't exactly sure what game his master intended on playing; but there was only one way to find out.

He walked up to Rayflo and cleared his throat. "Mas…Mr. Johns?"

Rayflo turned his attention to his vassal and grinned widely. There was nothing to him more exciting than seeing his Cherry dressed the way he was now. "Well, hello gorgeous…Looking for a fix?"

"A fix?"

"Yeah, a fix." His master leaned forward and licked his neck gently. Charley shivered as Rayflo drew his tongue up Charley's cheek and whispered in his ear. "Name your poison and I'll get it for you…For a fee of course."

He's pretending to be a drug dealer? Out of the people he could have choose to be, out of the ones Charley expected, this one was the one he didn't think Rayflo would ever pick.

Unless, drugs were a metaphor for something much more addicting. Blood. His breath quickened at the idea of drinking blood, especially since he'd already gone too long about. He felt the ache in his fangs telling him it's time to feed—time to get high as his master was now referring to it as.

But not here, not in front of these people.

"So, what'll it be, gorgeous?"

Charley swallowed the saliva in his mouth and spoke. "What's this price you speak of?"

"Anything your imagination wants it to be." Rayflo was staring him in the eyes again—no more like burning him. His hand gently stroked Charley's cheek. "What's your name, gorgeous?"

It was all it took to remind Charley that they were playing a game. A stupid, silly game. It was ridiculous that he was even participating. Although somehow, Charley felt intrigued to continue. Surely there was no harm in giving his master a show. "Charles."

"Cherry….you're not playing by the rules." Rayflo said, breaking their game for a moment. "Be creative…"

Creative? Not necessarily his strong suit. But the look of expectation in his master's eyes motivated him. He spoke the first name that came to mind. "Cross… Jacob Cross."

He waited for his master's approval before he continued. The older man pondered it and then nodded lightly. "Sexy." That was the only thing he said in regards to his fake name. It was then that Charley realized the game was back on. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"No thanks." Rayflo ordered two glasses of red wine anyway, never once taking his attention off of Charley. He felt so revealed and naked under the gaze.

"So, any ideas as to how you can pay me for your fix?" The wine arrived and was set in front of the two men. Rayflo smiled and picked up a glass. He dipped his finger inside the drink and lifted it away. Swirling the drop of wine between his fingers.

Charley had two reasons as to why his master choose wine. One being it's resemblance to blood. It was an odd yet clever way to tease the younger vampire. Two, it was the one alcoholic beverage Charley would indulge in since they used it for communion. It was more familiar to his young vassal.

Rayflo reached out and touched Charley's lip with his wine-dipped finger. He couldn't help but lick it as it trailed across his bottom lip. The taste exploded in his mouth. It was a sweet nectar that caused his mouth to explode. His master grinned and dipped his finger again; this time he pushed it into Charley's mouth.

Charley in his excitement, bit down. His master yelped and pulled his finger away—cutting it on Charley's fang along the way. "Fuck." He murmured, holding his now bleeding finger. Charley's breath grew hard and ragged as the red substance trailed down his master's hand. Rayflo shrugged nonchalant and placed his finger into the wine glass.

"You'll have to pay extra for that, Cross." He removed his finger from the glass, licking the mixture clean off his finger. Rayflo's face eased and he moaned softly. Charley watched the erotic display and felt the control slip from him slowly. Any more would send him off the edge. His master, apparently satisfied that his finger had stopped bleeding. Brought up the wine glass. The wine spilled from the glass and into Rayflo's mouth. He swallowed it down with elegant form. When he put the glass down, a drip fell from his lips.

Then it snapped. Charley ceased to think and only acted. He cupped his master's face with his hand and pulled the older man to him. Claiming his lips in a messy, sloppy kiss. It was their first kiss together. And though Charley had only kissed Rayfelle two times, he could imagine how many people his master had kissed. It didn't seem to bother him at the moment. He was lost in the intoxicating taste that made him more and more drunk by the minute. His other hand placed itself on his master's other cheek and brought him as close as possible.

Charley let his tongue out and licked his master's lips. Rayflo whined softly and opened his mouth, allowing the younger vampire to lap every drop of blood wine from his mouth. Rayflo's hands found his vassal shirt as his body begged for more. He pushed the lower half of his body against him. The friction making Charley grunt and break the kiss.

"Master…" He groaned. Rayflo shivered. He loved the way his vassal begged for his attention. "I can't handle anymore of this."

Rayflo forced him to look him in the eyes. Black meeting yellow. Light giving itself to darkness. "Let it go then…Dear god Chris, please let it go."

When he heard his own name, it snapped him back into reality. The weight of what had just occurred crushed down on him. He had kissed his master. He had succumb to his sinful feelings and allowed himself to kiss the one man he admired more than anything. He would never be able to look at him the same way ever again. He would never be able to take his master's teasing with good humor or at least be able to tolerate it. He had ruined everything.

He didn't feel the first tear fall down his face until his Master's face turned concerned. "Chris? Cherry, what's wrong?"

Charley choked, trying to hold back his sobs. He shouldn't do this. He was a full grown man. A destroyer of evil, a service for the lord—people in his profession didn't cry. Yet, how many times had this man made him cry for one reason or another? This was one of the most crushing. He pulled Rayflo close and buried his face into his shoulder.

"Chris, Chris please…" Rayflo cradled his vassal, ignoring the stares of the bartender and near by dancers. He used his hands to dry away the tears.

"I…I'm...I'm sorry." He managed to forced out. Charley's cyborg hands dug into Rayflo's back. The older vampire did his best to ignore them. "Master, I'm so…"

"Ssssh, you have nothing to apologize for."

"I sh…shouldn't have given in. I'm so damn weak…I could…couldn't help myself."

"Oh Chris." Rayflo said with guilt. He carefully moved Charley and paid the bar tab (including double the money for the now blood stained empty wine glass). The two moved awkwardly through the club, but not towards the exit, but towards the other side of the room where they was an elevator.

By the time they entered the elevator and Rayflo pressed the third floor button, Charley had stopped sobbing. Tears were still forming and falling from his eyes, but he had managed to calm himself down to a certain point.

"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet and worn down, it barely sounded like his own.

"Please, just stop apologizing. You didn't do anything wrong." Rayflo pulled a cigarette and lighted it. He then removed the glasses he had used to play their game. "I'm the one who fucked everything up. I should have never done this to you."

Charley looked at his monster and saw the man before him—no fronts, no illusions, no hidden agendas. Just a man. He watched said man fought with his own guilt and feelings. It made Charley feel less alone in his dilemma.

"I just…" He began. He stopped to inhale his cigarette, remove it from his lips, and exhale. He closed his eyes and looked close to crying himself. His master never cried—but Charley imagined this was as close as he got. "I want you Chris—I want you so badly, it hurts. My body aches when you drink from me and it drives me crazy. I need you…I…I love you."

He said the words often enough, but this time they bared a different meaning this time. The raw emotion behind it was enough to make Charley cry again. He didn't, but it was hard to take. Hard to accept. How could he accept it when he believed it was wrong?

The elevator door opened. Rayflo walked forward and Charley followed him. They stopped at the third door on the left. His master unlocked the door and pushed it open. Closing it and locking it again behind him.

Charley walked over to the bed and sat down. Putting his head in his hands, cradling it gently. As if he was afraid it would explode.

Rayflo finished his cigarette and put it out in the ashtray on the night stand. He sat down next to his vassal, but didn't touch him. He was afraid touching of any kind would put Charley off even more.

"Chris…" Charley lifted his head slowly and looked into his master's old, sorrowful eyes. "Please say something."

What could he say? He picked the truth. He might has well; he had nothing else to offer. "I love you too Master."

"I know Chris."

"No you don't. You really don't." Another tear spilled through, but Charley wiped it away by himself. "At first…I thought me wanting to be with you was because of some childhood comfort I refused to let go of. That in time, I'd grow tired of your lifestyle and leave. But I can't even fathom the thought. And….it's grown to the point where I could never get enough of you."

Rayflo's eyes widened as he spoke. "I love you, Master. I want you too. But…I can't do it."

"Why the hell not, Chris?" He lashed out. The sexual frustration that had been pent up inside, opened like Pandora's Box. "Because the bible says it's wrong? Because you're precious god says it's wrong!"

"I can't distance myself further from god!" Charley yelled. He grabbed Rayflo's wrists and brought his face close to his. Rayflo could smell the wine on his breath. "I realize full well that it doesn't matter much- If I die, I'm probably going to hell regardless. But I love god, and I love you…and I can't choose."

Rayflo pressed his lips against Charley's once more. Charley didn't kiss him back, but he still felt the power and intense desire behind it. When he pulled away, Rayflo's contorted in pain and sadness. He sighed and looked Charley in the eyes.

"You don't have to choose between us. Just tell me what you want, Chris, and I'll respect it. You don't have to have sex with me to prove how much you love me, or stay away from me to prove how much you love god. I'll love you regardless of what you decide.…" Rayflo stroked Charley's face. The younger vampire closed his eyes as if his master's bare touch was scorching him. "There's not a damn thing in this world you could do that would make me stop loving you, just please remember that."

This was originally going to be a one-shot, but it grew too long. So I think I'm going to turn into a two-part story with a possible lemon in the second part. Tell me what you think!