From the Shadows (Hunters #1)

Chapter 12

Shay knew Ranna was lounging in the doorway, watching as he made breakfast. The night he’d spent with Diego had been… shit, sublime didn’t even begin to cover it. How the hell did the man know Shay had a cuddle kink? The way he held Shay was perfect. Not cloying, but sweet. And even when he let go, he still kept a possessive hand on some part of Shay’s body, reminding Shay he was there.

Then there were the three times he’d woken Shay up by sucking on his cock until it got hard, then flipped Shay over and took him again. These weren’t as pounding or driving, but they were still incredible. The most surprising thing came when Diego woke him up at five.

“Shay….”

“Not again,” he whined. “I’m tired, my ass is sore, and I have to start breakfast soon.”

“No, you need to see this. Please. I’m serious.”

And Shay could tell from his tone it was. He sat up and flicked on the light, then turned to find Diego staring at his arm.

“What’s wrong?”

“The vein. It’s gone. ”

“What?” Shay grabbed his hand, then pulled it up. He couldn’t see a trace of the vein. “Are you sure you’re not hiding it again?”

He shook his head. “This isn’t right. At all. I haven’t been able to completely get rid of that damn thing since not long after I was turned. Even when I slept for weeks, a faint trace of it was still there, serving as a reminder I wasn’t whole and never would be. Now, it’s totally gone. I know I should be overjoyed, but there’s that whole gift horse thing going on.”

They discussed it with no resolution until Shay had to get up. He did, however, extract a promise that Diego would go to see Dr. Oliver. That didn’t go over so well, but he did say he would, so Shay was happy.

A quick shower, a lingering kiss, and Diego’s hands sliding down to his ass and pulling him in and licking his shoulder before he put Shay on his feet again. He had to remind himself that he had people who’d want food soon, or he’d probably end up facedown on the bed once more. Not that it would be a hardship of any kind.

After he finally made it to the kitchen, he pulled out the food he’d need to feed the troops and was starting on the fruit cups. Then she showed up.

“Since you’re fascinated by the paranormal world, let me tell you a fun fact. Did you know that a wendigo’s sense of smell is, like, eight to ten times stronger than a werewolf? The hairy asses like to think they’re the best trackers of the supernatural world, but they’re wrong.”

And now Shay was thinking about putting a wendigo into his next story. A man, alone on a mountain, is attacked by an animal and found by a wendigo, who nurses him back to health and proceeds to?—

“Shay? Where’d your mind go?”

And that story idea was gone now. Hopefully he’d get it back later. “And you’re telling me this, why?”

Ranna smirked. “Another interesting fact: no matter how much soap you use, I can smell the cum that’s still inside your body. Now, I can only assume it’s not yours. I mean, unless you’re insanely gifted, so that leaves me to wonder who you’ve been messing around with.” She took a deep sniff. “I don’t smell anyone out of the ordinary that has been in the house, so that means it was one of our people.” She snickered. “Why, Shay. You naughty boy. Who’ve you been getting into it with?”

Shay’s nerves were jangled. He hadn’t thought about someone knowing he’d been with Diego. Not that he cared, but he worried Diego might.

“I don’t think it’s any of your?—”

“It was Diego, wasn’t it?” she blurted out.

“What?”

“He walked by me in the hall a bit ago, and he smiled at me. Diego hardly ever smiles.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong there. “Again, I don’t think it’s any of your?—”

Suddenly she was gripping his hand. “Shay, please. If you want, I’ll beg, but keep this Diego. I mean, I love the man to death, but he’s way too broody. Even with Jeremy, he’s always so… tight-lipped. About the only humor I ever hear from him is when he calls Jeremy ‘Jerm.’ It’s his weird little teasing, but Jeremy likes hearing it and he loves Diego, but he also loves you. It would be great if you could….” She stopped, her eyes wide. “I am so sorry,” she muttered, turning to leave.

Shay grabbed her shoulder. “About what?”

She turned back to him. “We all love Diego, and we want to see him happy for once. In all the years he’s been leading the team, he never seemed to… I don’t know. Fit? And I let my desire to see him smile more get the better of me. It’s not my business if the two of you are off doing a little knob-polishing. Keep in mind, though. We want— need —you both here, so you don’t get to break up or stop talking or whatever. Got me?”

“I’m neither going to confirm or deny it’s Diego, but yes, I got you.” He hugged her then, and when he let go, she looked so surprised.

“Between us, it’s Diego, right?” she asked, almost desperately.

Shay nodded, and Ranna—big, bold, brassy she-hulk that she was—squealed. “I knew it!” She grabbed him and pulled him to her. “ Please, make him happy. He hasn’t had nearly enough of that in his long life.”

And now it was time to put to question what had been bugging Shay. “What if this is all just fun for him?”

Ranna laughed, long and loud. “Diego? Fun? Those two words are like polar opposites of each other. For him, the most entertaining thing he does is watch a game or movie with Jeremy. That’s pretty much it. Other than for missions, he rarely comes out of his room. Diego wouldn’t know fun if it bit him on his sexy ass.”

And with those words a pang of jealousy shot through Shay. He had no claim on Diego, but for some reason the thought of Ranna commenting on his ass pissed him off big time. He wasn’t a fighter, but right now, he was ready to throw down with Ranna, tell her to keep her hands—and eyes—off Diego.

And that wasn’t him.

The implications scared the crap out of him.

“You’re not interested in him, are you?” Shay asked, trying to keep the anger in his voice under control.

She stared at him for a moment, then reached for him, but Shay pulled away, the anger blooming in his chest. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Ranna, I’m sorry. I… I…. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Are you angry? Upset? Jealous?”

He nodded. “And I don’t know why.”

“Well, shit. Shay, has Diego drank from you? I don’t mean the blood the doctor transfused. I’m talking skin-to-skin contact.”

“It was just a drop,” he said weakly.

“Oh, damn.” She reached in her pocket and pulled out her phone. A quick glance at the screen, and then she pressed her index finger to it. A moment later she said, “I know you were sleeping, and I’m sorry. I have a question, and you’re the only one I know who might be able to answer it.”

Shay narrowed his gaze, but Ranna took his hand in hers as she repeated what Shay had said to her. She glanced up at his face, then squeezed his hand gently .

“Warm. A little warmer than it probably should be, I think.” … “Uh huh.” … “Shay, how do you feel right now?”

He didn’t want to admit it. These emotions were not the person he wanted to be ever again. “Angry,” he ground out. “Jealous. Wanna punch you in the face.” Then he winced. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine, I swear. Most people want to do that after a while.” … “He said it was just a drop, but yes.” … “I see. Is there any way to undo it?” … Her eyes went wide. “No. No way. That isn’t an option.” … “Anything else you can tell me?” … “Yes, the doctor mentioned blood-tying.” … “Okay, thank you. I’ll see you Thursday.”

She disconnected and slipped the phone back into her pocket.

“Well, you’ve got my vampire friend all up in arms.” She leaned in and brushed their shoulders together. “Dr. Oliver was only partially right,” she said. “Blood-tying is a thing, but not what he seems to think. Blood from the bags are safe, because there are no emotions attached to them. Let me ask you a question, and please be honest with me. Do you have feelings for Diego?”

Shay wanted to push her out of the kitchen and get back to work, but instead he nodded.

“And how long has this been going on?”

“Since the day I got here. He’s so… magnetic. I was drawn to him, despite the fact that he was being a jerk. Even after I thought he hated me, I was still desperate to get him to notice me.”

“And that was the catalyst,” Ranna surmised. “You liked him, even if you didn’t want to. So, when he got that taste of your blood, it affected you. You essentially became a part of him, and he left behind a bit of himself. That was what began the blood-tying. And with each interaction the two of you have, it deepens. It’s no longer dependent on him drinking your blood—it’s your touch, your smell, your laugh. I don’t know what triggers it for Diego, but that’s what’s causing it. My friend said that long ago, they used to call humans like you a thrall. Meaning they were like a slave to the vampire, who they used to sate their appetites. But that wasn’t at all what it was. It was a binding between the vampire and the human that went far deeper. Yes, some vampires had multiple thralls, for lack of a better word, but they were all cherished members of the vampire’s household. Not lovers, but beloved anyway. If you and Diego had sex?—”

“Four times,” Shay muttered.

“ Four? ” Ranna chirped. She cuffed him on the shoulder. “You dog! The thing is, with each transmission of semen, the bond you and Diego share was becoming deeper and deeper. Not just cherished, but loved.”

“But Diego doesn’t love me!” Shay snapped.

“Are you certain about that? Remember, you’re looking at someone who is over three hundred years old. He was alive back when love between men was forbidden and he had to hide who he was. Even if he doesn’t need to do that now, some self-loathing is engrained so deeply, it’s nearly impossible to get rid of.”

“What did your friend say was the way to remove it?”

“One of you will have to die. That would sever the connection.”

Shay was horrified at the thought. “No.” He sighed. “And if I’m honest, I don’t think I want to break what’s there.”

He knew he shouldn’t be admitting it to anyone, especially Ranna, who had no problems blurting out things she knew. But Shay liked Diego, even before all this. Yes, he was concerned about why they couldn’t get along, but he still liked the man. He’d tried several times to start a story about a vampire and the man who took care of the house, but none of them seemed… real to him. What he shared with Diego? That was about as real as it could get.

And then there were the nightmares. Shay had never been honest with anyone about them before. Oh, he put on a brave face, but one doesn’t get nearly beaten to death and get over it. The things hiding in the dark in his dreams? They had a hold on him, and every now and again, they gave his brain a mighty shake to remind him they were still there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to stray off the path and stumble into their domain once more, so they could drag him into those terrors he told everyone else he was over.

Right now, to himself, he could admit he wasn’t. Last night, he’d begun having a nightmare. It started like it always did. Shay breezed into their place, where he confronted Mick, telling him he knew Mick had been cheating on him and how he wasn’t some lapdog who would roll over and wag his tail. No, Shay was going to do what he had to. He would pack his things and then go back to his parents’ place, where he’d heal his heart. He hadn’t even seen the bat when it slammed into the back of his head. This was usually the point where Shay would retreat to a darkened corner as Mick stalked him, swinging the bat dangerously, using the bat to shatter things they’d collected together.

But this time something different happened. From a mist Diego appeared, standing between him and Mick. When Mick swung at him, Diego grabbed the bat and crushed it in his hand, the splinters falling to the floor. Then he snagged Mick’s shirt and yanked him forward until they were face to face. Diego leaned in, and in a barely audible growl, said, “He’s mine, and you touch him at your peril, human. Shay is not a threat to you, but I am. I am a vampire, and I can track you anywhere, take you at any time, have you begging for mercy as I drain you drop by drop, until your heart collapses in your chest and you lay there, begging for me to put you out of your misery. Then I’ll walk away, like you did, and leave you to die a horrible, painful death. Nod if you understand me.”

And Mick, the man who always claimed to be the Alpha male, nodded, his eyes filled with fear. Diego threw him across the room, where he smashed through the drywall, landing in a crumpled heap on the other side. Then Diego turned and held out a hand to Shay, who, he hated to admit, was too afraid to take it. The darkness, though cold, was a form of protection. Diego smiled and leaned down, then hefted Shay into his arms, whispering promises that he was safe and that Mick wouldn’t bother him as long as Diego was there.

And though it was self-serving, Shay was desperate to not be afraid anymore. To keep the man who drove away the terrors close by his side.

“Shay? Can you hear me?”

He jerked his head up to find Ranna, her lips pursed, gazing at him with uncertainty in her eyes. “Sorry, my mind was wandering.”

“It’s fine. Just wanted to be sure you were okay. Listen, I can talk to my friend some more, but if I’m honest, I don’t know if there is a downside to being tied to Diego. I mean, other than him being a broody son of a bitch.”

Shay gritted his teeth. “Don’t talk about him that way.”

“And there’s my answer. The blood-tie… well, for lack of a better way to say it, amplifies the feelings you already have. Judging by how angry you were just now? I’d say you were already deeply in love with him.”

In love? With Diego? Well, damn.

He was.