Chapter 12: Road Trip Venom

The East Coast road trip looked tough. The team had three hard games in a row—Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Traveling and playing that much would exhaust anyone. The Grizzlies flew through thick clouds on their team jet. Many players looked tired, drinking Gatorade and trying to recover from the night before.

Across the aisle, Alex and Jake kept exchanging intense looks. They shared a secret. The blood they drank together in cheap roadside motels kept them strong and fast.

The first game was in Boston against the Bruins. The crowd was loud and angry from the start. Some fans even shouted “Stake the Vamps!” from the stands.

Alex answered them on the ice. He played with pure fire and scored three goals—a hat trick. His shots flew past the goalie, and the Bruins defenders could barely keep up.

After the win, the locker room was hot and full of shouting teammates. Brody slapped Alex’s hand and laughed.

“Unreal, Thorne. Cup or nothing this year—vamp style.”

---

Later that night they stayed in a quiet motel outside the city. Privacy made it easy for their secret rituals. Jake pushed Alex against the door and bit gently into his neck, taking a small taste of blood.

“Those goals you scored tonight,” Jake murmured, “they belong to me now.”

The moment quickly turned passionate as they moved together, holding onto each other tightly until the tension finally broke and they collapsed, breathing hard.

---

The next stop was New York to face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The crowd booed loudly, calling them “bloodsuckers.”

But Alex kept dominating. On the power play he scored two more goals. Jake watched the game stream on his phone and texted him during the period:

That breakaway speed… honestly a dream.

---

Philadelphia was even rougher. The Flyers played hard and threw elbows and late hits. During one shift Alex dropped the gloves with a huge defenseman. The two fought while the crowd roared. Alex skated away without a scratch.

The Grizzlies’ win streak reached five games, and suddenly everyone in the league started calling them favorites for the championship.

---

That night in another Philly motel, Alex and Jake celebrated again. Candles flickered and the room felt heavy with tension. Jake tied Alex’s wrists playfully to the bed and teased him until Alex begged for more.

Their passion grew intense and wild. Bites, touches, and pleasure mixed together until both of them lost themselves in it and collapsed together, exhausted.

---

Meanwhile, rumors spread around the league. Some people whispered that the Grizzlies’ “vampire edge” was like legal steroids. Kane tried to cause trouble by leaking a fake video that supposedly showed a vampire turning ritual in a motel room.

Players began to panic.

Brody finally cornered Alex in the hotel gym while weights clanged around them.

“Tell me the truth,” he said. “Are you planning to turn the whole team?”

Alex looked him straight in the eyes.

“It’s your choice,” Alex replied calmly. “Power without injuries. Endless seasons on the ice. But nobody gets forced.”

---

The road trip ended with the Grizzlies still on top of the standings. But danger was growing. Vampire hunters were getting closer. Even their plane was delayed once by strange “security checks.” Kane left a threatening message:

“The Cup will be a bloodbath. Choose mortality while you still can.”

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Back home later that night, Alex and Jake sat together by the cabin fire. Jake pulled Alex into a tight embrace.

“We’re unbreakable,” he said softly.

They kissed, their fangs brushing together, promising they would face whatever came next.

The season moved forward. Playoffs were coming. Hunters were watching from the shadows.

But their love—and their shared power—remained their greatest weapon.

And the only thirst either of them truly felt… was for each other.