Blood Lust by J. P. Bowie Page A

good time, you two,” he said, “though it won’t be nearly as much fun without Micah and me there to supply the laughs.”
     
    The Blue Moon was crowded when they arrived a little after ten-thirty. Tommy could see Alex through the press of people standing at the bar talking to two men. Tommy stiffened with shock when he recognised one of them.
    “What’s wrong?” Andrew asked.
    “That tall dark-haired guy talking to Alex… He was at Lorna’s the other night. Arturo or something. Yeah…he was like helping the old lady.” Tommy had to admit that his mind was fuzzy when it came to remembering just what had happened at Lorna’s, but Arturo he remembered very well. “He tried to put the make on me.”
    “And the other?” Andrew was looking across the bar at the two men, a wary expression on his aquiline features. “Something about him doesn’t seem quite right.”
    The man in question was also tall with long blond hair that hung about his shoulders.
    He had a loud laugh and his gestures seemed exaggerated. From the look on Alex’s face Tommy could tell his friend wasn’t entirely enthralled by the blond man.
    “Looks like Alex needs rescuing,” Tommy muttered, pushing his way through the crowd. But by the time he reached Alex the two men were gone.
    “Hey, Tommy…” Alex beamed at him. “Thank fuck, I thought I was going to be stuck with those two all night.”
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    BLOOD LUST
    J.P. Bowie
    60
     
    Tommy gave Alex a quick hug. “Yeah, I saw you looking less than interested in whatever they were laying on you.”
    “Bullshit mostly…” Alex’s eyes strayed over Tommy’s shoulder and fastened on Andrew. “Oh, now… now I know why you’ve been keeping him all to yourself. You lucky dog, you.” He thrust his hand past Tommy’s arm. “I’m Alex, and you have got to be Andrew!”
    “I am very pleased to meet you,” Andrew said, taking Alex’s hand in his.
    Tommy didn’t miss the slight shiver that coursed through Alex’s body when he made contact with Andrew’s cool flesh. Never fails , he thought, watching Alex fall under the spell of Andrew’s charisma.
    “So, did the dark-haired guy tell you he was over at Lorna’s the other night?” Tommy asked sharply, dragging Alex’s attention away from Andrew with some difficulty.
    “Huh? No, he didn’t mention that, but then why would he? We didn’t get around to exchanging family names.” Alex stared at Tommy. “He was there?”
    “Did he at least tell you his name?”
    “Yeah, Arthur or something.”
    “ Arturo . He’s not on the up and up, Alex. I hope you didn’t agree to meet him later…”
    “Are you kidding? He hardly said a word. It was the other one did all the talkin’. Yak, yak, yak, and all about himself.”
    “What is his name?” Andrew asked quietly.
    “You know, that’s the one thing he didn’t tell me, and sorry, but I wasn’t interested enough to ask. The guy was built and good-looking and all, but getting past all that self-adulation would be way too much hard work.”
    Tommy and Andrew exchanged glances and in that look Tommy knew Andrew was on the alert. Arturo’s nameless friend was not likely to be on their buddy list anytime soon.
     

     
    Alex’s apartment was only two blocks from the Blue Moon, an easy walk. He’d done it hundreds of times. But tonight, the darkened streets appeared even darker, the streetlamps dimmer, and no matter how fast he walked, the distance to his apartment building never seemed to diminish.
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    BLOOD LUST
    J.P. Bowie
    61
     
    “Crazy,” he muttered to himself. “Must have had one too many beers. Now I’m imagining things.”
    A few yards ahead two men waited, motionless, their body language, while not exactly threatening, still aggressive enough to put Alex on the defensive. They were blocking the narrow sidewalk, and it meant either Alex would have to step out onto the street to avoid the two men, or he would have to pass