Jason practically skipped down Belle Morte's main staircase, and almost collided with a woman at the bottom, carrying an enormous bundle of red roses.

"Sorry," he said.

The woman smiled blandly at him, and continued into the vestibule, heading for the ballroom, where tonight's charity dinner was taking place.

"Please watch where you're going. I need everything to go according to plan tonight," said Ysanne, emerging from the hallway to the left of the stairs.

"Sorry," Jason said again, but he couldn't help grinning. "I'm just excited."

"So I see." Ysanne stopped in front of him and folded her arms. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Just to the cinema, I think. Gid hasn't said which one."

That might not have sounded exciting to everyone, but this was the first truly normal date that he and Gideon had had. Their relationship had blossomed inside these walls a year ago, culminating in Jason proposing out in the snow, but they hadn't been able to go on dates the way other people would – both because Gideon was a vampire, and because of the way the vampire world had been shaken by betrayal and bloodshed. Now things had settled, and Jason was finally going on a Valentine's Day date with his fiancé.

"Do I look okay?" Jason asked, smoothing the front of his shirt.

Ysanne reached out and tweaked his collar slightly.

"Thanks," he said.

Ysanne gave him a little nod. "Have fun," she said.

Something in her voice made Jason pause. "Do you know where Gid's taking me?"

"Perhaps."

"But you're not going to tell me," Jason guessed.

"Of course not."

Jason sighed. "Fine. I'll find out the old-fashioned way."

Waving goodbye to Ysanne, he hurried across the vestibule and through the front door. Gideon had told him that he'd be waiting outside with a car, but Jason had expected one of the black Belle Morte vehicles, not the sleek limousine that he found. Gideon stood by the side of the limo, looking particularly delicious in dark jeans and a black shirt, and Jason's heart skipped a beat.

Some day soon he was going to marry this man.

Gideon smiled and held out a single red rose.

"This is gorgeous and romantic," Jason said, taking the rose. "I thought we were just going to the cinema."

"We are," Gideon said, opening the limo door for Jason.

Jason climbed in, sliding across the buttery-soft leather seats. Gideon followed him.

"Do I get to know which cinema?" Jason asked.

"Not yet."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "I'm intrigued."

Gideon just smiled.

After twenty minutes, Gideon took a black velvet ribbon from his pocket.

"In the back of the limo?" Jason clutched at imaginary pearls.

Gideon tied the ribbon around Jason's eyes, sealing him in darkness.

"Well, this is kinky," he said, eagerly listening to Gideon's movement, trying to work out what his vampire was doing.

The limo door opened, and Gideon took Jason's hands. He guided Jason out of the car.

Jason had to admit that he was a little disappointed they weren't having sex in the limo, but intrigue overrode the disappointment. The ground underfoot was soft, no concrete streets here, and Jason smelled grass and trees and nature. Presumably they were outside the city then. But where?

Gideon put one arm around Jason's waist, and held Jason's elbow with his other hand, so he could guide him forward.

Jason heard the sounds of birdsong mingled with the harsher caws of crows, and the faint creak of trees. "This is the strangest cinema I've ever been to," he remarked.

After a few minutes, Gideon stopped, reached up, and removed the ribbon.

Jason blinked, his vision readjusting.

His mouth dropped open.

Gideon had brought him to the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace. Once a medieval complex of buildings surrounded by a moat, it had been left in ruins after the English Civil War. Now trees soared higher than the craggy flint walls, and bare branches and patches of orange sunset sky showed through what had once been huge stained-glass windows.

Jason had visited this place as a kid, and he recalled that the sunken area in which they stood had once been the chapel crypt. Walls and the lingering remnants of foundations surrounded them, along with modern picnic tables and benches, and information boards. Birds flew out of the ruined towers, and some small animal rustled happily through the undergrowth nearby.

But it wasn't any of this that had made Jason's jaw drop.

In the middle of the grassy space, a large projector screen had been erected, and in front of it were heaps of blankets and large, tasselled cushions. Candles flickered everywhere, wooden lanterns hung from the trees, and a bottle of champagne was chilling in an ice bucket, alongside a huge bag of popcorn.

"A normal cinema wasn't special enough," Gideon explained, sliding his arms around Jason's waist and resting his chin on Jason's shoulder.

Jason couldn't speak. His throat was all knotted, and his eyes felt suspiciously wet.

"This is perfect," he said when he found his voice. "Beyond perfect."

A year ago, Gideon had given Jason his first bouquet of flowers, handpicked from the grounds of Belle Morte, and he'd been awkward and unsure about it, because it had been so long since he'd been in a relationship. How things had changed.

They sat on the heaps of cushions and blankets, and Gideon opened the champagne and poured some into a flute, which he then handed to Jason.

"First he blindfolds me, now he's trying to get me drunk," Jason said, winking.

Gideon put the bottle back in the bucket.

"What are we watching? Something sexy?" Jason asked.

"Renie and Roux helped me compile what they assured me were classic vampire films, and they talked me through how to work the projector," Gideon said.

He fiddled with it for a couple of minutes, while Jason sipped his champagne, and then the screen flickered to life. Jason gave a little cheer.

"You did it."

"Did you doubt me?" Gideon looked thoroughly pleased with himself.

Jason kissed him. "Not for a second."

For hours, they snuggled among the blankets and watched vampire films. The night turned black and starry overhead, and the evening birdsong was replaced with the hunting calls of nearby owls. Once Jason caught a glimpse of one, a white ghostly shape flitting between the ruined medieval towers.

The champagne was delicious, but he didn't drink too much – he wanted to remember every second of this night. Every now and then, he stole small glances at Gideon, when his gorgeous vampire wasn't looking. Gideon's grey eyes were fixed on the screen, lips slightly parted, and Jason reminded himself that, even though many of these films had been out for decades, they were the first films that Gideon had seen in a long time. Their outside cinema was a magical experience for them both, but for Gideon in more ways than one.

"I love you so much," Jason said softly, stroking Gideon's honey-blond hair.

Gideon turned to him, moving at exactly the same time as the vampire onscreen, and Jason laughed.

The laugh died in his throat when he saw the raw heat in Gideon's eyes, the absolute need there. Jason swallowed hard, and Gideon's eyes drifted to his throat.

"Lie down," he said, his voice slightly rougher than normal.

Jason eagerly obeyed.

Gideon moved with that fluid, vampire grace, closing the gap between them, and running his hands down Jason's thighs. Jason's breath hitched.

"Gid," he whispered.

Red sparked in Gideon's eyes.

With deliberate slowness, he undid the top button on Jason's jeans and pulled down the zipper. Jason had been in this position so many times, it was hardly new to him, but every time felt like the first time, aching and tense, breathless with anticipation.

Gideon shifted position, settling between Jason's thighs, and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of Jason's jeans. Jason lifted his hips, helping Gideon pull his jeans and boxers down.

Gideon made a noise that was almost a growl, then the warmth of his mouth closed around Jason, sucking him deep, and Jason's eyes rolled back in his head, because holy hell, that felt good.

Jason grabbed the nearest cushion with one hand, clutching it tight, and grabbed Gideon's head with the other, his fingers twisting in Gideon's hair.

The most delicious pressure started to build deep inside him, cresting higher and higher, until he abruptly pushed Gideon away because he wasn't sure he could last much longer and he wasn't ready for this to be over.

He pushed Gideon onto his back, and pulled off his jeans with trembling fingers.

"Did you bring anything?" he asked, his voice hoarse with love and need.

Gideon fumbled under the mussed blankets and held up a small bottle of massage oil. "I came prepared," he said.

"God, I love you."

Jason slicked the oil over himself, and wedged himself between Gideon's thighs, gazing down at the vampire beneath him. Gideon's eyes were bright red, his fangs fully emerged and gleaming, and the sight of them sent a delighted shudder through Jason. There really wasn't anything hotter than a vampire.

He kept his eyes locked on Gideon's face as he pushed inside, his heart squeezing at the way Gideon hissed Jason's name, his eyelids fluttering. Jason braced both arms on either sides of Gideon's head, and Gideon ran his palms over Jason's biceps.

"All those gym sessions are paying off, huh?" Jason said, grinning.

He'd always prided himself on having a sculpted physique, but knowing how much Gideon appreciated his muscles had made him throw himself even more vigorously into his gym sessions.

In response, Gideon nipped Jason's lip, and the pressure of fangs made a shiver run down Jason's spine.

He began to rock his hips, soft, shallow movements that quickly turned harder and faster. The feel of Gideon's muscled body beneath him, the way Gideon's knees squeezed his hips, the sound of Jason's name falling from his lips in breathless pants, it all pushed Jason closer and closer to that edge. He breathed deep and tried to pull himself back because he didn't want to get there before Gideon did.

But Gideon had already brought him too close, and Jason tumbled over, flying high and seeing stars and groaning Gideon's name, his back arching tight. When he opened his eyes again, everything was hazy and soft-edged, and he felt like he was floating on a cloud. But Gideon hadn't made it over the edge with him, and Jason promptly wriggled down his fiancé's body so he could use his mouth to take Gideon the rest of the way.

The way Gideon said his name, harsh and desperate, made Jason's heart sing.

Finally, Gideon stiffened against him with a hoarse cry, clutching Jason's head tight.

Jason rested his head on Gideon's thigh. "Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered.

"Come here," Gideon said, crooking one finger.

Jason crawled back up to him, and Gideon pulled the tangled blankets around them. Jason rested his head on Gideon's chest, running his fingertips over the light dusting of hair and peppering his skin with tiny kisses.

This was true happiness, he thought. It wasn't just the amazing sex – although that definitely helped. It was lying with the man he loved under the stars. It was the feeling of Gideon's fingers, stroking up and down his spine. It was the candles and the cushions and the champagne and everything that Gideon had done to make this night special. It was knowing that Gideon was going to be his husband.

"Do you want to watch another film?" Gideon asked.

Jason reached for his champagne flute. "Yeah," he said.

Gideon put another film on, then snuggled back under the blankets with Jason. "Has this been a good night?" he asked.

"It's been the best night." Jason kissed Gideon's chest again.

Gideon put his arm around Jason, and as the moon waned overhead, they watched fictional vampires fight and hunt and kill and fall in love, until Jason finally fell asleep on his own real vampire. 

4/5