Ignis Arrow

[CW: Blood]

Carlisle was on the scene the moment he heard Chief Swan had been shot. Charlie was stretched out on the pavement, lips parted as he labored for each breath. Carlisle collapsed beside him, the anguish at seeing the man like this tearing at his heart. Charlie's gaze flickered up to his face. His mouth moved, but all that came up was a cough of blood.

“Charlie.” Carlisle reached for his hand and squeezed.

“Doc,” Charlie croaked back. “You're here.”

“I'm here,” Carlisle agreed. His other hand brushed Charlie's stubbled cheek. His already pale skin had gone waxy, cold sweat gleaming.

The smell of his blood was thick in the air. Always sweeter than other humans, it now held a bitter edge as it pumped out of Charlie's body. Carlisle shook, wanting to stop it. Slicing through his sorrow was the foreign heat of rage. He wanted to find the person who shot Charlie.

“Hey.” Charlie's fingers twitched around his hand. “Stay with me.”

“That's my line,” Carlisle retorted with a forced smile.

“I'm... okay. Just a little cold.”

“Not as cold as me,” Carlisle argued.

“Yeah.” Charlie chuckled weakly, dissolving into another bloody cough. The blood rimmed his mouth and slid down the sides of his chin.

Carlisle leaned down, cradling Charlie's face in his hand. It didn't matter now, if he indulged. His tongue slid out, tracing over Charlie's lips. The taste of it on his tongue made him groan. It was exactly as sweet as it smelled, rolling over his tongue like mulled wine. But Carlisle noted it only for a moment before turning his attention over to the texture of Charlie's lips against his tongue. How soft they felt, how pliant.

Charlie's fingers pushed into his hair, nudging him closer, and he complied, sealing their mouths together in a full kiss. It was slow, exploring, acting like he had all the time in the world to get to know this mouth. When Charlie parted his lips for air, Carlisle dipped his tongue inside. Charlie moaned, fingers curling a little tighter. Sucking his own blood off Carlisle's tongue and mouth.

It was hard to pull away, but Carlisle managed it. Charlie's eyes were glassy staring up at him, his cheeks now a little flushed.

“You... picked a hell of a time... for that,” he said.

“I know. I'm sorry.”

“S'okay.” Charlie's thumb brushed across his cheek. “It... helped. I... can't go, now.”

“Oh?” If his heart worked, Carlisle imagined it would be racing. “That's all it takes? A kiss?”

“Yeah.” Charlie gave his hair a tug. “Better give me another, doc.”

Carlisle obeyed, shaping their lips into something fiercer. Demanding.

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight

Carlisle burned once, a long time ago. Even centuries later, he remembered the excruciating pain of the vampire venom. Now he was burning again, only this time the sensation was the complete opposite. This was a burn of pleasure coursing through his veins, one that his body craved.

Charlie's hands were on his waist, giving him some of that burn with their warmth. They stoked the flame with every caress of fingers against clothed flesh. He had taken Carlisle's invitation and pressed his tongue between the vampire's lips, giving him even more of the pleasure-burn. Feeling Charlie's tongue in his mouth, tasting him... Carlisle groaned, hands pushing the other man closer. Charlie's body pressed against his, slotting at every angle.

“So warm,” Carlisle approved. “You're so warm.”

“Hm. So that's it?” Charlie pulled back enough so they could see each other's faces. “You just need to warm up?”

“No.” Carlisle had given up his control the moment he put on Charlie's clothes: the temptation to breathe in the human's scent was far too great, and once he did that, it was over. “I need to kiss you,” Carlisle admitted, demonstrating by slotting their mouths together.

He liked the way Charlie's mustache brushed against his upper lip. The pleasure-burn of their kiss was more like a steady rise of heat that grew with every brush of their mouths. Carlisle caught Charlie's lower lip between his and sucked, wanting to give some of the fire back. Of course Charlie's mouth tasted good—every part of this was good.

“Shit, doc,” Charlie gulped. This time when his tongue went in, it grazed across Carlisle's. The heat sank all the way down, making his toes curl. Carlisle stroked against the prodding tongue with his own, whimpering as the heat grew more intense. A whimper escalating to a whine when Charlie had to pull back to breathe.

But he grew quiet when he felt Charlie's hot, quick breaths against his neck. It was automatic to tilt his head back. Charlie's nose skimmed the flesh there, and then his lips came down. Carlisle gasped, eyes fluttering. He was burning too much to consider the fact that a human was mouthing the neck of a vampire.

“Carlisle,” Charlie huffed. “You wear that cologne just for me?”

“I...” It was hard to make sense of that. Charlie liked his vampire scent? The thought made him shiver in pleasure. “Yes,” Carlisle answered.

“I like it.” Charlie kissed his neck again.

“I... I like... your scent too, Charlie.”

“You must love wearing my clothes, then,” Charlie remarked.

“Yes,” Carlisle agreed. Charlie's scent was all around him, and that mouth was lavishing kisses all along the length of his throat. “Do you... like it?” He knew the answer; he heard the way Charlie's heart reacted when he saw Carlisle walk out of the bathroom.

“Yeah. You look so good.” Charlie's hands tightened on Carlisle's hips. There was no space between them at all. Carlisle could feel every line and angle of the man. “Doc...?”

“What is it?” he answered dazedly.

“Do you, ah... want to do something about that?”

Carlisle didn't understand what he meant. Then Charlie backed away to allow some space. Carlisle could feel now where all the heat had centered. Charlie's jeans were tight enough on Carlisle's body that it was no surprise Charlie noticed. It would have been embarrassing if he couldn't hear Charlie's blood rushing to the same area.

blood on the freesia stalks [14] | charlisle

summary: Finally, Charlie and Billy talk again. And Charlie has a very long night.

Carlisle had a tray of drinks balanced in one hand. His staff had worked hard this morning and earned the treat. Smiling as he pictured their faces, he opened the door of the cafe with his free hand and took a step onto the sidewalk.

In the next second, his tray tipped over and splattered liquid all over his shirt. He startled; he should have noticed the human walking in at the same moment. He was usually more observant.

“Shit!” a familiar voice cursed. “Sorry. You all right, doc?”

“Chief Swan?” He blinked at the man, who had remained unscathed from their collision.

“We'd better take care of that,” Charlie said. He slid into the cafe, tugging Carlisle by the sleeve into the bathroom. Carlisle followed, bemused by the chief's behavior.

When they were both inside the bathroom, Charlie locked the door. Bemusement shifted to shock. Did Charlie have any idea he just locked himself in with a vampire? The chief certainly didn't seem to notice or care; he was busy pulling out handfuls of paper towels.

“All over that nice shirt, too,” he grumbled.

“No harm done,” Carlisle assured him. He held up his hand to stop it but Charlie was already dabbing the stains. “Chief Swan, it's all right.”

“How badly are you burned?”

“Burned?” That's right, the drinks were hot. He should react to that in some way. “It stings a little,” he lied.

Charlie eyed him. “They say doctors are their own worst patients,” he commented. “I better check.”

“There's no need for—”

“I have first aid training,” Charlie interrupted him. He lifted a hand, cocking an eyebrow at Carlisle. He could see no way of getting out of this without raising the chief's suspicions, so he sighed and unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders.

Charlie ran cold water under more paper towels. Carlisle twitched a little feeling it against his skin. This usually happened in reverse, him tending to a human. Charlie's hands were surprisingly gentle as they swept the towel across Carlisle's chest.

Carlisle barely noticed the scalding heat of the coffee, but this... Charlie's warmth...

“You've got good skin,” Charlie spoke up. “Doesn't look like the coffee even touched you.” Carlisle let out a soft hum. He was distracted listening to the beat of Charlie's heart. The speed of it could just be from their run-in and rush to clean off the spill.

Charlie finished wiping the coffee off and tossed the used paper towels away. His eyes moved over Carlisle, assessing. Carlisle couldn't help thinking of those eyes sliding over his bared chest the way the hands had done moments ago. Would his heart be beating faster, if it still could?

Charlie started shifting around and Carlisle blinked. The man was taking off his flannel shirt, leaving himself with just his undershirt and police coat.

“Here, take this. Your clothes are ruined.”

“Thank you.” Carlisle slipped it on. The fabric felt nice, what humans probably meant by “cozy.” Unbidden, his gaze slid over the chief's face. Charlie's ears had turned red. Embarrassed or... flustered? An inner heat smoldered in Carlisle's chest.

“Well.” Charlie cleared his throat. “Bye.” He unlocked the door and walked out of the bathroom.

Carlisle stayed in place, letting the last few minutes sink in. His fingers brushed along the material of Charlie's shirt. It still retained some of the human's body heat.