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The worst was that he could feel something building. The Variks were careful to stay out of vampire politics, but that came at a price. They remained largely ignorant of the newest movements and factions that could threaten them. Meryl’s threats against Julianna and Rafe were just the tip of the iceberg. She wasn’t the normal type to stir up trouble.
In fact, Meryl was a dedicated member of The Hidden faction. They believed that vampires should have no human interaction beyond feeding. Vampires should only associate with other vampires. His brother Winter subscribed to their beliefs and was generally displeased with Rafe’s lifestyle, but he’d never go so far as to threaten the life of his own brother.
Marcus was seen as more of a moderate among their people. He thought limited interaction was healthy and necessary to keep a vampire current with the changing world and technology. Otherwise, it was too damn easy to fall into a stagnant frame of thought, and that way led to madness.
He needed to talk to Aiden. His sire was much better at keeping up with what was happening among their people.
A soft thump from farther down the hall had him looking in that direction. He waited and then smiled to hear Ethan’s soft singing. Before he reached out to Aiden, he needed to talk to Ethan.
Another conversation he wasn’t necessarily looking forward to.
Things last night had gone too far. He’d kissed a man. Hell, he’d nearly devoured Ethan and still wanted more. The kiss had been amazing, better than he could have ever imagined it would be. And to feel Ethan’s hard cock against his own, to know that he’d affected the man in such a way was an intoxicating experience. He wanted to wrap himself in all of Ethan’s little moans and whimpers, to drag one after another out of him until he wove them all together into a symphony of Ethan’s pleasure.
But the sun was up, and they had to face what happened, right? They couldn’t do that again. He was Ethan’s boss. Last night had been about feeling something other than pain. Forgetting for a short time that his mother had tried to kill his brother.
He was also a vampire, and with that existence came danger. Marcus refused to put Ethan’s life in more danger than he already had.
Their time together was almost over. The move was happening in just a few short weeks. Then Ethan would be around for another month to help unpack everything at his new place. Afterward, they would go their separate ways, never seeing each other again.
Yes, that made the most amount of sense. It didn’t matter if his loneliness yawned at him like a massive gaping void threatening to swallow him whole. It didn’t matter if Ethan had been the first bright spot in his entire existence. They had no future.
Ignoring the ache in his chest, Marcus trudged down the hall to find Ethan finishing up what had been a spare bedroom. Boxes were stacked neatly against one wall. The rugs were rolled up. The pictures had been taken down and carefully covered.
As he finished labeling the box he was working on, Ethan looked up and gave a little start before smiling at Marcus. Just that simple expression of joy sped up Marcus’s heart. How was he supposed to return to a life that smile was not a part of?
Marcus started to say something when a loud caw split the room. Ethan winced and they both looked over at the raven perched on one of the stacks of boxes, his long talons scratching on the cardboard.
“Ozzie! How did you get in?” Marcus said. He lifted his hand and the raven spread its wings, launching itself off the box. He glided easily across the room and landed on Marcus’s hand, talons digging into his flesh to steady himself.
“Thank God,” Ethan breathed as he pulled his earbuds out and stuffed them into his pockets. “I let him in through the window. I heard him pecking and banging against it. I hoped it was Ozzie and not some random bird I was allowing into the house.”
Marcus smiled, stroking his index finger across the head and down the back of his neck along his sleek feathers. The bird lifted his beak, pushing his head against Marcus’s touch. “This is Ozzie. I have a feeling he was looking for Bel.”
“Does your brother have any other pets?”
Marcus stopped rubbing Ozzie’s head and looked at Ethan. “Why?”
“Because I stopped two blue jays and three cats hanging out by the kitchen door, acting like they were expecting to be let in.”
No, they weren’t Bel’s, but they were. Where Rafe had his gift of “charm” as he called it, Bel could speak to animals. He didn’t keep pets, but animals had a way of flowing in and out of his life. They’d stop by, spend a little time with him, and eventually move on. Ozzie was one of the few that had stuck around.
