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What had surprised me was my reaction. There’d been no way to explain the explosive rage I’d felt seeing him merely converse with another man. The urge I’d had to pluck the stranger’s eyes from his skull for simply daring to look at my sunshine.
No, it wasn’t jealousy. Vampires as old as I weren’t affected by such base emotions the way humans were. Besides, I didn’t want Matty like that.
I just wanted to keep him safe and smiling. That was all.
I hadn’t intended to interfere either. That wouldn’t be fair, not when I just wanted Matty to be happy. But with every hateful word that came from the other man’s lips, my resolve had been stripped away.
The comment about Matty’s beautiful makeup was the final straw.
Now I was driving Matty home. His lemon and mint scent was filling my car, making me dizzy. I’d never taken so many deep breaths in my life, trying to inhale every part of him. Like his purity might be enough to soften my tarnished edges.
He’d tried to insist on getting an Uber. It hadn’t taken more than a withering glare to get him in my passenger seat though.
I hadn’t missed the smile he’d tried to hide either. It was almost as though he liked it when I was grumpy.
That couldn’t be the case. Literally no one, across many centuries, had been able to put up with my shit for longer than a few hours.
Matty was humming along with some song on the radio, his hands tapping on his knees. I shouldn’t want to get to know him. Shouldn’t ask him more questions.
“Why don’t you drive?”
Matty shrugged. “Took a few lessons. Hit way too many kerbs and decided it wasn’t for me.”
“Maybe you should try a different instructor.”
“Nah.” Matty was watching me, his lips tilted at the edges. “I get by okay with Uber and the bus. Trains are there for when I want to go further afield.”
“You get in cars with strangers? Didn’t your parents warn you about that?”
My hands tensed on the wheel as the sound of Matty’s laugh washed over me. “Everyone gets Ubers these days, Seb. Besides, you’re only one step up from a stranger.”
“And I did tell you to stay away from me,” I added darkly.
“You did.” He hummed softly as he studied me. “You’re supposed to be the bad guy.”
I pulled up outside Matty’s flat. I didn’t turn the engine off. I didn’t want Matty inviting me up.
Because I knew I wouldn’t say no.
“I am the bad guy.”
“No, the bad guy was the one knocking me down several pegs. You’re the hero who swooped in to save the day.”
I didn’t look at him, staring out into the dark night. “I’m not the hero, Matty.”
“You were tonight. Thank you, Sebastian.”
I didn’t respond. Didn’t look around. Didn’t give Matty any sign that I’d heard him.
But somewhere, buried deep inside, the darkness was pushed back another inch.
“Good night, Sebastian.”
Only when he stepped out of the car did I allow myself to look at him. I watched him to the front door like a hawk. He’d gone all out for his date, wearing a tight pale blue tank under a sheer white shirt. And those jeans? They were so tight they looked painted on. A fashionable black coat completed his outfit. I was grateful he’d included it, given the weather, but I hated that it hid his spectacular rear from view.
Once I knew he was safely inside Ferry’s wards, I reversed my car out at speed.
After that meal, I had an additional stop to make tonight. Which was fine. It would take me no time at all to locate Jeremy and teach him a lesson about how he should behave in future.
