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“Because I can trust Fox and Zelda,” Rafe said, wrapping his hand around Gideon’s. “Sky’s not a threat to us now, but he could be.”
Gideon pulled his hand free. “People could say the same about vampires. Didn’t we both bite people tonight?”
Rafe sighed and placed his hand on the side of Gideon’s head. He pulled him in closer and pressed a kiss to the top. “You’re right. I’m being paranoid. We’ve heard whispers of new vampires, possibly even a new clan, in the area. It’s put Father and Marcus on edge.”
Gideon sat up straight. “Do you think they’re from the European Ministry?”
Which raised a darker question: were they looking at the start of a vampire war?
“I don’t know. Not one person has given a description of the newcomers. It’s simply a vague feeling.”
A chill ran down Gideon’s spine and settled low in the pit of his stomach, cooling him in ways the cold winter air couldn’t. It wasn’t often he saw Rafe so serious. When it happened, it was never a good sign.
Rafe suddenly shook his head as if trying to clear his mind of these thoughts and forced a smile on his lips.
“But it leaves me all the more relieved that you’ve gotten so close to Ryder. Tell me, have I lost my bet with Philippe?”
For a second, Gideon could only blink at the sharpness of Rafe’s subject change. “Bet?”
“I said that it would take you at least a year to move into Ryder’s place. Philippe gave you three months. You and Ryder have been living in the building for just under a month. What’s the score?”
Gideon groaned and flopped back against the vampire, throwing his hands up in the air. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Seduce him,” Rafe answered immediately.
Gideon twisted a bit to glare up at his master. “That will not help.”
“You’d be surprised at the number of problems sex solves.”
With a shake of his head, Gideon settled on Rafe. “Sex is not the problem. We’re very good at sex. It’s the living arrangement that’s the issue. I made such a big deal about living alone and being independent. I feel like such an idiot now about wanting to live with Ryder. Plus, you went to all that trouble of remodeling the building so there are two separate living spaces. All the work and trouble, and I want to chuck it all in after a month. I’m such an idiot.”
Rafe shook under him. As Gideon was sitting up, Rafe tipped his head back, letting out an explosion of deep laughter. His sweet, annoying master wrapped his arms around him from behind and held him tight, pressing his cheek to the top of his head.
“My adorable Gideon. This is your problem?” That question was lost to another round of laughter.
“Rafe—”
“Gideon, move in with him!” Rafe gave him a shake. “Or have Ryder move in with you. Either way, Ryder would be over the fucking moon. Who cares about the remodeling and all that other shit? It’s not important. What everyone else thinks doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is your happiness and Ryder’s happiness. One day I’ll sell the building and make all the money I put into it and more.”
Living together would make things easier. It had been two weeks since Sky had helped Elizabeth on to the underworld, and each night Gideon or Ryder made up a new excuse for why they had to sleep in the same bed. The problem was that Gideon was running out of excuses, and they were becoming very weird and utterly unbelievable.
“But should I move to Ryder’s place? Should he move up to mine?”
Rafe shrugged. “You’ll have to talk to him about that. Both of you can stay where you are and spread your things between the two condos for all I care.”
“But what if another vampire needs a place to live? Someone who works at Phoenix or a friend of the Variks?”
Rafe kissed the top of his head while chuckling. “Don’t worry about that. We’ll cross that bridge later if we must. You figure out you and Ryder first.”
“But—”
“No buts, except for your cute one,” Rafe murmured. “Really, Gideon. You’re looking for excuses now. We might be vampires and have centuries ahead of us, but wouldn’t you rather spend that time with the person who owns your heart? There is hardly a minute that ticks by that I don’t think of Philippe, that I don’t long for him. It doesn’t matter if we have an eternity ahead of us. An hour away from him is too long.”
Gideon sat up and stared at Rafe, but Ryder filled his mind. He missed him. They’d been apart for barely an hour, but he missed him. He wanted to tell him about his successful hunt, about the boy and girl he saw bickering as they crossed the quad, and about running into Rafe. He wanted to crawl into Ryder’s arms and snuggle close, covering himself in Ryder’s scent and no one else’s.
Grabbing his bag, Gideon jumped to his feet and turned to face Rafe with a smirk. “Do you mind dropping me off at my place on your way home?”
Rafe reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. “I thought you might ask that. Let’s roll.”
