The Vampire and the Man-Eater by G. A. Hauser, Stephanie Vaughan
Authors: G. A. Hauser, Stephanie Vaughan
Tags: General Fiction
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told her I was gay and now I'm getting religion wrapped around my neck." He took off his shirt and set it on a chair. "Are you going to tell me how you got in here?"
Daniel caught his breath, his long hair hanging over his face as he recuperated.
Brock approached him in concern, cupping his jaw. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. Dispose of that thing, will you? I cannot tolerate it."
"I know. I'm not keen on religion either."
"No. I mean now."
"Do what?" Brock kicked off his shoes and socks, sliding his slacks down his legs.
"Throw it out!"
"I'll just give it back to her. I can't really throw it out."
Brock set his trousers on the chair with his shirt. "It's amazing what religious zealots think of our kind, huh, Danny?"
"I have had nothing but trouble from them."
110
The Vampire and the Man-eater
by G.A. Hauser
"Me too. Are you hungry? Or am I eating alone again?"
When Daniel rushed him and held onto him tightly, quivering and hiding his face over Brock's shoulder, Brock was surprised. "All right, what's all this?"
"Hold me."
Brock wrapped around him, rubbing his back and squeezing him tight. "It's okay. I'm here."
"That horrible thing brings back terrible memories."
"You're shaking." Brock kissed his hair, massaging his back and shoulders to soothe him. "Did your parents shove religion down your throat as a young boy?"
"Yes. That and more. My life was made miserable because of the church."
"Shh, okay." Brock pushed Daniel's long thick hair back from his eyes. He had never imagined Daniel could fear anything, but everyone had their demons. Urging Daniel to sit on the bed with him, Brock watched Daniel avoid the nightstand with the cross resting on it with all his power.
Walking him to the opposite side of the bed, Brock sat them both down. "You want to talk about it?"
"Yes. I do." Daniel cuddled against him. "I know this sounds strange, Brock, but I have never been able to sit and talk to a soul. I have been alone for a very long time."
"Poor baby. It is hard finding a good relationship. Believe me. I know." He kissed Daniel's cheek.
"You do not know the half of it. I have been the object of so much hatred and ridicule."
Brock hugged him tighter. "It's hard being a gay man anywhere, Danny. I know."
111
The Vampire and the Man-eater
by G.A. Hauser
As if Daniel was already lost in thought, he began, "I was a choir boy at King's College Chapel. First there was the abuse from the vicar. He was a horrible man. He took out all his anger and frustration on us. He beat me with a stick, Brock, on more than a few occasions. It was terrible. I was taken from him when I was fifteen and sent away. It only got worse from there. And of course, well, then this happened to me."
Daniel gestured to his face as if Brock could understand his thoughts.
"Oh, lover. No. You were beaten as a child? I had no idea."
"It was truly miserable. I hate the church and all it stands for. I realize Henry the Eighth was just breaking away from the Catholic Church at the time to start the Church of England. I got that. You know, he was sick of all the power from the Pope in Rome..."
"Henry the Eighth? Are you into history? Are you a teacher or something?"
"But it did not help that he forced Catholics to convert.
They were the same I suppose, in the end, but worse in temper. They were so angry at him they took it out on us boys."
"King's College Chapel? Is that in England?"
"Cambridge."
"Is that where you're from? You don't really have an English accent."
"I was only born there. I was taken away when I was quite small."
"It sounds like you had a rough childhood, Danny." Brock kissed his cheek. "Divorced parents?"
112
The Vampire and the Man-eater
by G.A. Hauser
"What? No." Daniel shivered. "I never knew any parents. I was orphaned I think. No one has ever said. I was really neglected for most of my young life. Or what I remember about it."
"You're shaking. Get under the blankets. I'll warm you up."
Brock coaxed him.
After
Daniel caught his breath, his long hair hanging over his face as he recuperated.
Brock approached him in concern, cupping his jaw. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. Dispose of that thing, will you? I cannot tolerate it."
"I know. I'm not keen on religion either."
"No. I mean now."
"Do what?" Brock kicked off his shoes and socks, sliding his slacks down his legs.
"Throw it out!"
"I'll just give it back to her. I can't really throw it out."
Brock set his trousers on the chair with his shirt. "It's amazing what religious zealots think of our kind, huh, Danny?"
"I have had nothing but trouble from them."
110
The Vampire and the Man-eater
by G.A. Hauser
"Me too. Are you hungry? Or am I eating alone again?"
When Daniel rushed him and held onto him tightly, quivering and hiding his face over Brock's shoulder, Brock was surprised. "All right, what's all this?"
"Hold me."
Brock wrapped around him, rubbing his back and squeezing him tight. "It's okay. I'm here."
"That horrible thing brings back terrible memories."
"You're shaking." Brock kissed his hair, massaging his back and shoulders to soothe him. "Did your parents shove religion down your throat as a young boy?"
"Yes. That and more. My life was made miserable because of the church."
"Shh, okay." Brock pushed Daniel's long thick hair back from his eyes. He had never imagined Daniel could fear anything, but everyone had their demons. Urging Daniel to sit on the bed with him, Brock watched Daniel avoid the nightstand with the cross resting on it with all his power.
Walking him to the opposite side of the bed, Brock sat them both down. "You want to talk about it?"
"Yes. I do." Daniel cuddled against him. "I know this sounds strange, Brock, but I have never been able to sit and talk to a soul. I have been alone for a very long time."
"Poor baby. It is hard finding a good relationship. Believe me. I know." He kissed Daniel's cheek.
"You do not know the half of it. I have been the object of so much hatred and ridicule."
Brock hugged him tighter. "It's hard being a gay man anywhere, Danny. I know."
111
The Vampire and the Man-eater
by G.A. Hauser
As if Daniel was already lost in thought, he began, "I was a choir boy at King's College Chapel. First there was the abuse from the vicar. He was a horrible man. He took out all his anger and frustration on us. He beat me with a stick, Brock, on more than a few occasions. It was terrible. I was taken from him when I was fifteen and sent away. It only got worse from there. And of course, well, then this happened to me."
Daniel gestured to his face as if Brock could understand his thoughts.
"Oh, lover. No. You were beaten as a child? I had no idea."
"It was truly miserable. I hate the church and all it stands for. I realize Henry the Eighth was just breaking away from the Catholic Church at the time to start the Church of England. I got that. You know, he was sick of all the power from the Pope in Rome..."
"Henry the Eighth? Are you into history? Are you a teacher or something?"
"But it did not help that he forced Catholics to convert.
They were the same I suppose, in the end, but worse in temper. They were so angry at him they took it out on us boys."
"King's College Chapel? Is that in England?"
"Cambridge."
"Is that where you're from? You don't really have an English accent."
"I was only born there. I was taken away when I was quite small."
"It sounds like you had a rough childhood, Danny." Brock kissed his cheek. "Divorced parents?"
112
The Vampire and the Man-eater
by G.A. Hauser
"What? No." Daniel shivered. "I never knew any parents. I was orphaned I think. No one has ever said. I was really neglected for most of my young life. Or what I remember about it."
"You're shaking. Get under the blankets. I'll warm you up."
Brock coaxed him.
After
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