Vampires of Eden (Alexander #2)

34. Alexander

CHAPTER 34

Alexander

A silent seriousness hovers in the air around us once we enter my bedroom. Similar to this morning.

Daniel is quiet and utterly focused as he undresses me. His palms and fingertips caress the lines of my shoulders and chest. My arms, stomach and then my waist as he progresses from my jacket and shirt to my pants and underwear.

When I’m naked and he isn’t, I feel insecure and am tempted to make a joke to break the intensity of the mood. Before I can deflect, he lifts and wraps his arms around my bare shoulders to kiss me sweetly. Centering my attention.

My hands find his waist as he presses into my chest and groin and holds me tight. Reflexively, my nature races up my spine and unfurls. His mouth is hot and luscious, filling my mind with the same vivid sensations—autumn flowers and fire. A glittery night sky, a full moon and dark fruit.

I can’t simultaneously indulge in him and stifle my nature. The taste and feel of him are too good. Too compelling to be neatly compartmentalized.

He draws up from the kiss and whispers. “Lie on the bed, please.”

I don’t want to let go because he feels wonderful in my arms. But generally speaking, I am an obedient vampire, so I do what he asks. When I’m on my bed and sitting up on my elbows, I watch Daniel undress. His movement is slow and provocative as he watches me in turn. The haze of silver moonlight coloring the room gives his skin and eyes an ethereal hue. Pale but luminescent.

When he’s naked, he tugs at the hair tie binding the tip of his braid. He walks toward me, lazily untangling and running his fingers through his hair until its wavy and settled heavily on his shoulders. My eyes are alighted and my cock is hard. Part of me feels ashamed to be lying here like this. So blatantly aroused by him.

But I want to touch and feel him. To hold him close and know him. To let myself love him in every way. The ache of wanting him and resisting it is agonizing and I don’t want to do it anymore.

He grabs the bottle of almond oil before climbing atop the bed and settling against my thighs. I’m just… beside myself that we’re here. That Daniel Lim is in my bed, naked and sitting on top of me with his pastel eyes and raven-dark hair. Like a secret adolescent wet dream that’s somehow, impossibly come true.

“Give me your hand?” he says quietly. I lift my hand, then watch as he pours a generous amount of oil into my palm. After he secures the top and sets the bottle on my nightstand, he rubs and spreads the oil across my fingers, as if massaging my muscles and tendons.

When he’s satisfied, he leaves my hand and wraps his oiled fingers around my cock. I shudder and inhale sharply. His touch is warm and tingly like always, as if he has the power to harness and conjure lightning from the sky. It races up my belly and my nature responds by flaring itself even further outward in a golden glittery haze. Like a summer cloud that’s settled over us, I can’t pull it back. It has a mind of its own and refuses to listen to me anymore.

“Is this okay?” I ask, breathless and nervous. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Daniel leans down, resting on his elbows and flattening his stomach to mine so that our cocks are sandwiched between us. He hovers above my face and flutters his lashes.

“You feel amazing. Every part of you.” He licks my lips, then playfully sucks and bites my bottom lip with a mischievous grin. “You have to stretch me before you can have me.” He takes my oiled hand and guides it down toward his ass.

Understanding, I cup his cheek with one hand, then crawl and dip my slick fingers between the heat of his flesh. “If I’m not doing it right or I’m hurting you, tell me.”

“I will, but you’ll be fine, Rabbit. We’re okay.”

Swallowing, I ease the tip of my finger inside of him. The moment I do, Daniel’s mouth is on mine once more. Kissing and groaning as I hold him on top of me.

With his thighs relaxed outside of mine, I carefully raise my knees, spreading him open a little more and bringing him closer. Daniel sighs in the kiss but doesn’t protest as I press my finger deeper inside his ass. He’s so tight and hot around my finger as he writhes against my cock and I… Jesus, I cannot believe we’re doing this.

I shift my head away from the kiss, lifting my chin to escape his mouth. “Are we still good? Does this feel alright?”

It’s impossible to monitor all the sensations at once. My aura is haphazardly rested. The room is warm, flooded with moonlight and Daniel is kissing me so deeply. He keeps rhythmically tensing and clenching my finger with his inner muscles as he rocks his hips against me. His hair is swept to one side and tickling my face and shoulder.

I think… I might die here.

Death by ecstasy.

“ Yes ,” he breathes, meeting my eyes as he tightens and pulses his body around my finger. “Are you?”

“Yeah,” I say, swallowing hard. “I’m good.”

He bends and touches his lips so softly to mine, waiting for me to respond. I take a breath, then lift my head from the pillow to meet him and solidify the kiss. Our mouths move slowly, teasing. I drag my free hand up to hold the small of his back, reveling in the dip of his spine. His body flush with mine.

After a long, decadent string of hungry kisses, he whispers. “You can add another finger.” Daniel kisses my mouth once more, then the corner of my lips. “I’m almost ready for you.”

Nodding, I carefully pull my finger out, then ease two inside as Daniel’s hands slip past my ears. His arms stretch above my head on the pillow and his face rests within the concave of my neck. He arches and flexes his lower spine and ass so that he’s elongated and flat against my body. Fully relaxed.

My eyes drift shut from the heady scent of him and the comfortable weight of his frame. Our entwined energies and this heat threaten to consume and devour me whole. To burn me up in a glorious flash of light and color from the inside out so that only an echo of my former self is left.

Daniel breathes in the silence as I pulse with my slick fingers, holding and stretching him. I focus on his distinct essence and somehow, the longer we lie in this position, the calmer I feel. The slowness of it gives me confidence. This isn’t a hurried performance for the purpose of fulfilling an official contract. This is… like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

Daniel’s voice caresses my ear in a soft whisper. “I need you.” My eyes flutter open. He nudges his forehead into my temple. “Now , please?”

I remove my fingers as Daniel shifts upright. For a bewildering moment, I’m not sure what we’re about to do. It becomes clear as Daniel lifts and takes hold of my cock. Internally, I had calmed down while I was stretching him, but everything inside of me pitches to maximum intensity as he slowly lowers himself onto my shaft.

I gasp, blatantly and with my mouth wide open from the sight and feel of him—the image of his tousled and wavy hair sitting against his square shoulders in the moonlight. The way he bites his bottom lip as he sinks down, taking me in with his eyes closed. His breath hitches, then he winces, exhaling these soft little moans of gratification as he steadily makes himself comfortable.

My hands grip and hold his hips because the tight heat of his body is… so good— too good. Like a hedonistic dream spun from the deepest, darkest and most primal part of my vampiric nature. Something I’d never dare touch or seek in the shallow light of my conscious mind.

Danny does something—I don’t know what the fuck at this point because the heat of my nature is pulsing hard at my groin, like a volcano about to erupt. He adjusts or clenches me with a fraction of movement and I’m spent. I inhale as the orgasm floods and rushes from me like a slippery and seductive thing coursing through my body that I have no control over.

It feels amazing, or it would, if I weren’t panicking and freaking out because that happened way, way too fast. Fucking hell. Fuck me.

The revelation of what’s happening flashes in Daniel’s face as he tenses and inhales on top of me. His pale eyes widen in surprise as he swallows. “R-rabbit?—”

“I’m so sorry Danny— shit . I don’t—I—” I lift my palms to cover my face after the heat of my release pours from me and the rigid tension in my lower body subsides.

How humiliating.

Unbelievable.

“Alexander, I didn’t do anything.” Daniel lifts himself from me. I can’t even look at him. This is awful.

I exhale a weighted breath. “You don’t need to do anything. Just—give me a minute, okay? Just a couple minutes, please.” Rubbing my palms against my face, I have to calm down. I can do this.

Daniel surprises me when his fingers wrap around my wrist and pull one hand from my face. Startled, I look at him in the over-warm silence. He smiles lazily as he leans on his elbow at my side. “You are the sweetest creature that I have ever known.”

“You mean the most idiotic. ”

“No, I don’t.” He reaches and pulls my other hand away, then cups my cheek so that I meet his eyes. “Do I excite you this much?”

I scoff. “You have to ask?”

Daniel leans and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “You make it too easy for me, Rabbit. I’m willing to work much, much harder for it.” He kisses me again and his fingers trail and dance across my chest. My nipples and stomach. Daniel plays my body as if I were the keys of a grand piano. As if I’m a sensual melody that he wants to practice and know.

Within a couple minutes of his tongue teasing my lips and his fingers exploring my lower half, the warmth of arousal tingles in my back and groin once more. Taking a deep breath, I pull up from the kiss, then roll and cradle his body in my arms so that he gently tumbles onto his spine.

Grinning like a Cheshire cat that’s knowingly stoked a new fire, Daniel reaches, blindly takes hold of the pillow near his head and lifts his hips to settle it beneath his ass and lower back. He draws his knees up so that the angle of him is perfect.

I am utterly focused this time. The air is like static against the naked skin of my back and shoulders, warm and encouraging as I lift, then settle the tip of my cock back into his heat.

I’m expecting resistance to the intrusion. Some natural, physical protest. But there is none as I slowly, gradually push inside. Daniel moans, long and low from deep within his throat as he runs his fingers into my hair. The feel of his body is truly hypnotic. Like pushing into a thick and heavy whipped cream.

His body melts into mine and mine into his. I kiss him tenderly while I rock my cock into him and he writhes and breathes. With each thrust of my hips, Daniel exhales a soft sob with his lips parted. He makes it easy for me to catch his tongue and suck—bruising and worshipping his mouth and body with all of my affection.

I can do this.

Daniel lifts his chin, stretching his neck and closing his eyes and his breathing is shallow. I slow my pace and caress one hand along his side. Tracing the line of his body down to his waist and hip. I adjust, pushing into him deeper as I take hold of his thigh and lift it into me. He arches and exhales another sob of pleasure from the tighter contact—from the tip of my cock hitting a good spot within him. He seems like he’s enjoying this, but I want to know for sure.

I bend, then whisper against his lips. “Danny?”

His eyes are still closed. His beautiful neck is elongated and the length of his hair is splayed across my pillow. He breathes. “Yes?”

Exhaling to keep control of my lower half, I brush the corner of his mouth with a kiss. “Is this good for you? Tell me how to make you come.” I press my lips to his again, then raise my head, waiting as I stay tightly woven inside of him.

Daniel opens his eyes. It could be a trick of the silver light, but they look glassy.

“Feed,” he whispers, then raises his chin in offering.

I fed from him this morning, so I’m surprised by this request. What about his health? If I take too much, will it hurt him? Who does he even feed from?—

“Rabbit,” he says, drawing my attention back to his gaze. He reaches up, tracing my lips with his fingers before tucking one into my mouth. He touches my withdrawn incisors.

“ Please . I’m alright. I promise.”

It takes nothing to will my fangs outward, because of course I want to taste him again. It’s an honor that he lets me do this. All of this.

I take hold of his wrist, then kiss his open palm before I thread my fingers with his. He relaxes as I draw his arm up over his head. With his hand clasped in mine, I rock my hips once for good measure, hitting that same spot again and making him sob before I bite down into his neck.

The delicious swirl of his blood engulfs my palate and I sigh. I don’t pull hard because I don’t want to take too much. But as I feed, I revel in his intricate essence. The spiced, dark and sweet flavors. The bitterness with the laughter. The intelligence, patience, calm and compassion.

I love the complex scope of him. I love him. And I don’t hide this truth as it swells within my heart and mind.

Daniel’s inner muscles grip my shaft. His hand squeezes mine and he cries out in pleasure, loudly. He shudders beneath me as I feed and the sticky damp of his release spills warmly between us.

His body is even softer around my shaft as I pull up from his neck. Even more relaxed. Satiated. Thank God. I look and Daniel’s eyes are half closed as his chest rises and falls from shallow and exhausted breaths.

“Did I take too much?” I ask. “How do you feel?”

He slips his hand from mine, then brings both up to cup and hold my face. “Rabbit, come . Why haven’t you come yet?”

I smile weakly, still strictly ignoring the heavy tension pulsing in my groin and cock. My nature is coiled up my spine and flared out like gauzy wings in the ambient atmosphere. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He clenches my shaft again, then lazily rocks his hips as he slips his fingers into my hair. “Come inside me. You want me, so make me yours.”

“I—” My control falters and my throat tightens as the words soak in.

Make me yours.

He brings my face down so that we’re nose-to-nose. Danny stares into my alighted eyes as the tension within me breaks once more. Everything spills over.

He watches, softly but intensely as I come. Never letting my face go. His lips part and he breathes while I climax. My release seals our connection and Daniel’s hips shift sensually, writhing and testing as if he’s examining the fit and sensation of me inside of him.

As I come down, he tilts his head and kisses my mouth and across my face. My temple and down near my ear. A quick, playful bite at my lobe, then along the side of my neck.

Trembling, I pull out, then rest into his frame. Into the heat, shimmer and wetness of us.

“We need to work on our timing,” Daniel says, his seductive voice soothing in the comfortable silence. “Otherwise, that was pretty damn good.”

This makes me grin and I lift my head. “This will be a regular thing, then?”

“I certainly hope so.” His fingers lovingly skim through the top of my hair, combing the strands. “My handsome prince.”

Feeling euphoric, I take hold of his hand. I flip his fingers within mine so that I can kiss his knuckles softly while holding his gaze. “I would make you my king.”

Something in Daniel’s expression falters as he blinks and stills. I tense, pushing upright slightly because I’m not sure what to make of his reaction. Just as I start to worry that I’ve said too much, Daniel reaches and grips my hand once more.

“W-where are you going?” he asks.

“I was…” I lift my free hand and set my palm over my mouth, not knowing what to say. Did I sound like an idiot?

“Lie back down,” he urges, pulling me along as he relaxes. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“I wasn’t,” I say, returning to his warmth. “I won’t. Anyway, this is my bed.”

He laughs from his throat as his fingertips trace the concave of my spine.

The bright moonlight fades and a haunting shadow envelopes the room. We’re quiet in the warmth of our relaxed energies. Our bodies entangled and gratified. My eyes drift close from the comfort and peace of our atmosphere.

“Thank you for letting me try again,” I say quietly.

“You have nothing to thank me for. This isn’t a performance. We’re learning.”

I chuckle. “It kind of is though. ”

“It isn’t,” Daniel says, firmly. “Alexander, you don’t need to keep doubting yourself.”

“After that? I think I definitely should.”

“ No , you shouldn’t. I… I know that my eyes can’t alight. And my face doesn’t flush. My aura doesn’t resonate profoundly, so you can’t tell and it makes you insecure and nervous all the time. I can tell that you don’t know.”

“Don’t know what?” I ask, confused.

“That I—That I’m in love with you, Alexander. I love you. You excite me, too.”

Amazed and suddenly more awake than I’ve ever been, I raise my head from his chest to see his face. “Yeah?”

He nods, looking more vulnerable and frightened than I’ve ever seen him. “Yes. I know it doesn’t show, but I do, and I… I would love to be yours—the things you say to me and the sincere feelings that you give me are so... I can’t… I don’t know how?—”

When a rogue tear falls from his eye, I can’t take it anymore. I lift and press into his mouth because he doesn’t need to say anything else.

Even if I didn’t comprehend, Daniel kisses me back with such passion and ferocity that his sentiments are absolutely clear. I thought I was tired, but a surge of vitality overtakes us both, and before I know it, we’re touching and exploring yet again. Enraptured in the magnetic pull of our natures.

The world is silent and golden when I open my eyes. Beyond the glass doors to my balcony, the sky is pristinely blue. Not a cloud in sight. The sunlight spills onto the carpeted floor in a symmetrical slant that mirrors the design of the doors.

Daniel is mostly on top of me as I lie on my back. His head is rested in the concave of my neck and his hair is draped over my shoulder and across the pillow. He hugs my side with one leg possessively tucked between my thighs. He’s still asleep. Breathing slow and evenly.

I’ve never had so much sex in a single evening. We had sex more times last night than I’ve had in my entire life up until this point.

We went two rounds in my bed before we were sated and decided to clean up. That lead to a third round in my shower with some very tricky lifting and grinding with the help of my soap bar. We laughed and fussed throughout the process but the end result was marvelous. Then, I ended up on my knees while we were drying off and with my hands cupping and squeezing his ass cheeks as I took the length of him into my mouth.

Something greedy and bold had awakened in me and I desperately wanted to taste him. It’s like I couldn’t stop myself and Danny didn’t discourage me at all.

Sucking his cock was so oddly satisfying, I can’t even describe it. Like an obscure itch that I didn’t know needed scratching. The way he threw his head back in shameless ecstasy and the needy whimper in his voice. The quiver that rippled across his body as he came in my mouth. He tasted fucking incredible . It’s amazing that I can give him that kind of pleasure. That I’m capable.

By the time we made it back into bed, we were both languid and drunk with gratification before we passed out.

Glancing down, I’m still amazed that he’s here. Comfortably sleeping in my bed and holding me like I’m a life-sized teddy bear. His skin looks so pale juxtaposed against his dark lashes and in the bright morning light. I wonder if he’s hungry? He has to be, right? I fed from him twice in the same day.

Danny doesn’t want to be addicted to purebred blood ever again, but I wonder if I can get him something first-gen? Maybe the boutique where I get my neutral blood supply has some. I should ask Raphael.

I lift and kiss the top of his head. I don’t want to disturb him, but I’d rather get up before Raphael or someone else comes barging in here. “Good morning,” I say quietly .

His eyes slowly blink open. He yawns, stretches his spine, then winces before embracing me tighter. His lids drift closed once more. “Morning.”

“Are you okay?” I ask, sliding my palms up to his shoulder blades. “Are you numb?” He was on his back when we initially fell asleep. At some point in the night, he migrated onto my chest.

He chuckles. “Not numb. But I haven’t moved my hips that way in years. I’m a little sore but I’m fine, Rabbit. Don’t worry.”

“Do you want breakfast? I need to go find Raph and ask him a question. Can I bring you something back?”

Daniel shifts upright from my chest and onto his palms to look down at me. His lilac eyes are radiant in the morning sunlight. “Chai would be nice again? And more of those cherries, please?”

“Of course. Anything you wish, it’s yours.”

His expression is sleepy and contented as he smiles. “Anything?”

I push myself up, then lean so that I can kiss his lips. “Anything. I’ll be right back.” Daniel watches silently as I stand from the bed, then quickly step into the bathroom to find and wrap myself up in my robe. His eyes follow me across the room as I leave and gently close the door behind me.

Downstairs, to my surprise, there’s lots of activity. Much more than usual. Most of the serving staff within the estate had been dismissed in my mother and father’s absence. Their primary attendants traveled with them up north, so only Raphael and a skeleton crew were left to maintain the house.

This morning, more attendants have returned and are zipping in and out of doors. Politely bowing to me and grinning like there’s an inside joke that I’m not privy to.

“Hans,” I call out to one of the sous chefs as he walks ahead of me in the hallway and with a couple of bulging garbage bags. “What’s going on?”

“We got a call this morning that Lord Kendrick is coming back today—something’s up at the Royal Opera and he’s holding an emergency meeting. We’re just tidying up. Do you need anything, your highness?”

I lift a palm “No, no. I’m fine. Have you seen Raphael?”

He nods to his right. “In the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” I step forward, but Hans’s calm voice addresses me once more.

“I like Daniel,” he says, grinning from ear to ear. “I met him yesterday. Nice fellow.”

“He is. He’ll bite, though, if you’re not careful.” I joke.

Hans laughs. “Sounds like a keeper to me!”

My smile is broad as I head toward the kitchen. Daniel’s apprehensions about Central Eden and the vampires here are valid. There’s no questioning that. But not all vampires or spaces in my world are unsafe. I wish I could convince him of this, but his pain and experiences are his own. He has to come to certain conclusions for himself. And I definitely don’t want to fight with him about it again.

Weirdly, the kitchen doors are closed when I turn the corner. I push one open and Raph is sitting on a stool with a cup of something hot swirling in front of him as he converses casually with our head chef. I’m about to take a step forward when a barrage of agitated meows resonates from around my ankles.

“Buff Buff, good morning.” I bend and sweep her up into my arms, then kiss her face.

“I hope your night was better than mine,” Raphael chides, lifting his mug. “She screamed at my bedroom door half the night, wanting to be let out so she could get to you. If she wasn’t so cute I’d punch her in the face.”

“Aw sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” I kiss her again for good measure. A deep purr resonates loudly from within her furry body as I hold her.

“Don’t be sorry, you needed this.” Raphael grins roguishly and Chef Sato snickers at the counter as she chops up vegetables. “You can definitely take her back to the bedroom with you, though. Where’s Daniel?”

“Upstairs—Hans told me that Father is on his way back?”

“He is. He wants to have lunch with you after his meeting. Will Daniel be joining? I’m sure Lord Ansv?d would love to meet him again.”

My throat tightens. “I… doubt it, but I’ll ask him. Hey, Chef Sato?”

She glances over her shoulder. “Yes, your highness?”

“I don’t want to interrupt you, but may I have a pot of chai and a bowl of cherries, please?”

“Of course. I made a fresh loaf of vegan banana bread this morning since you loved it so much the last time. Shall I include a couple slices for you and your guest?”

I beam. “That would be amazing, thank you.”

“I’ll bring the tray up when it’s ready,” Raphael says. “Don’t leave your lovely guest unattended, it’s rude. I didn’t raise you to be rude.”

Chef Sato laughs and I narrow my eyes at Raphael. “Can I talk to you outside for a second?” I want to ask him about the blood, but not in front of Chef.

Raphael stands from the stool and moves without argument. When we’re outside the closed doors to the kitchen, I turn to face him with Buffy still contentedly cradled in my arms. “Would you be able to get Danny first-gen blood from the boutique, if he wanted it? Do they carry that?”

Raph blinks. “Possibly. Did you ask him, though? Did he say that’s what he wanted?”

“No, but I wanted to make sure we could do it before I offered.”

I jump slightly when he rests a heavy palm on my shoulder. “Lexie. The man just spent the night luxuriously swathed in your purebred aura and essence. I doubt he wants anything other than you right now.”

“He doesn’t want me.” I shake my head. “Not like that. Not to feed.”

“Why the heck wouldn’t he want?— ”

I turn, cutting him off. “Never mind. Thanks for letting me know. And thanks in advance for the tea.” Raphael’s mouth is agape as I head back to my room. He doesn’t need to know Daniel’s reasons. It’s none of his business.

When I open the door, Daniel is upright in bed. He’s in the same spot, but his face and eyes are brighter and the inky plait of his hair is freshly braided and slung over his shoulder.

“I ordered tea and cherries, not a cat,” Daniel says, grinning.

I set Buffy down and walk over to the bed. “Raphael will bring your order when it’s ready, your highness. Apparently, Buffy was being difficult last night because she couldn’t sleep with me.” As I say this, Buffy hops up onto the bed, pads toward Daniel and begins smelling him with intense scrutiny.

“You sleep with her?” Daniel asks.

I sit along the edge of the mattress. “Almost always. She’s snuggly. It’s sweet.”

Buffy steps up against his thighs with her front paws, lifting and sniffing toward his face. Daniel draws back, frowning. “Well, I’m snuggly, too. If we’re both sleeping with you and we’re both snugglers, who wins? Who gets to snuggle with you? Me or the cat?”

“It’s not ‘you or Buffy.’ It’s you and Buffy. This isn’t a competition.”

“Feels like it is…” Danny lifts his hand and places it atop Buffy’s head. She lifts into his touch, urging him to pet her. When he does, she purrs.

“See? She likes you a lot. She’s welcoming you to our home.”

Daniel groans with skepticism but keeps petting her in the warm sunlight. It makes me laugh. “Of course the raven doesn’t like cats.”

“Raven?” he asks, still uncertain as he strokes Buffy’s fur, analyzing her in turn.

“You said I remind you of a rabbit, well… the more I get to know you, I think you’re like a raven. Intelligent and fierce.”

Daniel huffs. “I thought ravens were a bad omen. Isn’t a group of them called an ‘unkindness’? Are you calling me mean again?”

“I’m not. And yes, the unkindness part is true, but all of the other stuff is just silly superstitions. They’re not like that at all. They’re incredibly shrewd birds.”

He sighs. His gaze softens, but he’s not entirely convinced. “Alright, I’ll take that. A raven and a rabbit, huh?”

“A truly odd couple.”

Daniel meets my gaze. “But it can work. Even if it isn’t perfect on paper, it can still be good—in ways you didn’t expect.”

I lift from my seated position and lean into Danny, careful to not squish Buffy at his side. I tilt my head and before I even land on his mouth, Danny’s lips part for me and his hands come up to hold my face.

I love kissing him. Every single time, it blows my mind that I have permission to do this. To feel the sweetness of his tongue slipping against mine and to breathe him. I know we made love multiple times last night, but even this simple affection feels like an honor. It’ll never get old for me. Not ever.

A soft knock at the door makes us falter. I sit back along the edge. “Come in,” I call.

Raphael enters with the tray of goods. Beaming. “Your tea and accompaniments, gentlemen.” He walks to the bed and sets the tray beside me. “Are we well this morning, Sir Daniel?”

Danny draws back, frowning. “Not ‘sir.’”

“Hm. Master?”

“No.”

Raphael brightens. “Prince? By proxy?”

“ No —absolutely not. None of the above.”

“Well, we’re eventually going to have to decide on a formal title for you?—”

“Raph.”

“We could ask Lord Ansv?d? Have you told Daniel about lunch? Is he staying today? ”

Daniel balks. “What? What lunch? Your father is coming home today?”

“Yes, shortly,” Raphael says innocently. “Will you stay and meet him? He’d be so pleased to?—”

“Raphael, that’s enough.” I speak the words softly, but eye him sternly. Raphael blows me off a lot, but thankfully, he takes the hint.

“Mmkay, well, you need to decide. Chef Sato will need to know if she should set an extra plate or not. Enjoy the morning. Should I take Buffy?”

“You can leave her,” I confirm. “Thanks.”

He nods, giving us both a look before he departs and closes the door. I take a deep breath.

“Um, my father is on the way home.”

“So I’ve heard.” Daniel shifts the duvet from his lap, gently scoots away from Buffy, then stands from the bed, gloriously naked as he stalks toward the bathroom.

I swallow hard, hesitating. “You don’t need to leave.”

“Oh, I think I absolutely do,” he calls from inside the bathroom. I hear his bag shuffling around against the marble floor. “The very last thing I need right now is for Lord Ansv?d Kendrick of the Northern Clans to come home and find a half-dead, first-gen spider-vampire lurking in his son’s bedroom.”

I exhale a groan and rub my hands against my face in utter frustration as my heart sinks. “Danny, it isn’t like that.”

“It’s exactly like that.”

“You said that you’d try?—”

“I also said that I needed time to wrap my head around all this stuff—the pomp and circumstance of an Eden engagement. You said you understood!”

My shoulders drop. I don’t know what to do. Or what to say. How can we do this together if I have to hide him from the vampires in my life? How can it work? I don’t want him to be a secret, but it feels as if he’s forcing my hand .

Daniel steps out of the bathroom, shirtless. His duffle bag is in one hand and his sweater is in the other. Abruptly, he catches sight of me and pauses in his movement.

“What’s that look for? You know where I stand on this, Alexander. I’ve told you.”

“I know. You have.”

“Then why do you have that look on your face—I hate that look.”

“What look?”

“Like I’m breaking your heart!”

We’re silent. Buffy nudges my elbow and I twist, caressing her back as I calm my emotions.

“Talk to me,” Daniel says, setting his bag and sweater on the floor at his side.

Focused on Buffy, I gather my thoughts. “I know that you want to protect yourself, and I understand why. I just… need you to understand that I want to protect you, too. I wouldn’t put you in a situation where you’d be chastised or looked down on. That’s all.”

Daniel walks over and I’m surprised when he shifts down onto his knees in front of me, commanding my attention. His palms rest beside my hips as he looks up into my face.

“Do you want me to meet your father?” he asks.

“Yes, I do.”

He sighs and lays his forehead against the top of my knee. He doesn’t speak. With my free hand, I play with the length of his braid.

“Please stay,” I say softly. “You can trust me.”

“I trust you. It’s other vampires that I don’t trust.” Daniel lifts his head, frowning. “Why am I jealous of this cat?”

“Don’t be jealous of the cat. I’m capable of loving you both.”

“Yes, but she’s obviously the easier one to love.”

“That’s not true. If it’s any consolation, I’ve probably loved you much longer. I just… didn’t know what to call it when I was fo urteen and when I first saw you.” I give the length of his braid a playful tug.

Daniel’s chest rises and falls in a breath as he nods. “I’ll meet him. I’ll stay for lunch.”