AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That was not an agreement, Zander. Ugh, I shouldn’t have said anything. Now you’re going to go overboard.”
Overboard? Him? Surely not. Max just needed more plants, that was all. It was Zander’s duty and pleasure to provide. All those pictures of plants Max had taken along their route would tell him what to buy, too.
This really had been the best unofficial date location ever.
The problem with donating blood was that Zander had to replace it, somehow. Traditional food had no nutritional value for a vampire. Fun to eat, no question, but it didn’t do much to satisfy the body. He wouldn’t even consider feeding from Max. After they’d left the gardens, Max’s guard had shot back up. Not as bad as before, granted, but returning to the house had reinstated Wary Max. Zander had half expected this. He didn’t expect a single outing or twenty-four hours would magically earn Max’s trust, so he wasn’t upset. It just left him in a bind. Since he (sadly) couldn’t snack on Max, Zander had only one option left.
Blood bags.
Not his favorite thing to eat. For reasons.
Currently, he was feeling those reasons. Zander had his favorite blanket wrapped around him like a caveman huddled against a storm, ensconced on his couch, sucking on hot coffee like his life depended on it. So far, nothing helped to combat the chill literally coursing through his veins. Zander hated being cold more than anything, which was why he could only bring himself to donate blood once a month. One day a month being frozen half the night was enough, thanks.
Max came into the living room, taking Zander in from head to toe. Was it wistful thinking to imagine that for a moment he looked concerned?
“What’s wrong with you?” Max demanded.
“Cold.” Zander did his best not to whine the word. Pretty sure he failed.
“Why are you cold?”
“Had to consume a blood bag to counter giving blood today,” he said, an errant shiver snaking its way up his spine. “Always makes me cold after.”
Max gave him quite the look. “In other words, you’re the victim of your own generosity.”
“Why do you have to put it like that?”
Max pointed toward himself, expression speaking volumes. He showed no sympathy for Zander just then. “Here I am, a contracted snack you have free access to—and what do you do? Go consume something that will drop your body temperature. I have no tears to give you.”
He did have a point, sort of. Zander would rather freeze than force himself on Max, though. Wasn’t even a question.
“You damn stubborn man.” Max sighed, pointing at the coffee. “Is that helping?”
“Not noticeably.”
“What does help?”
“Blankie.”
“How is the blanket supposed to help if you have no body temperature to heat the area with?” Max shook his head and padded toward the couch on bare feet. There was a determined set to his jaw, shoulders back like he was marching in against his better judgement. He took the cup from Zander’s hand and set it on the coffee table as he ordered, “Budge up.”
Huh? Oh, really?! Zander opened the blanket and Max came right in, sitting snuggly against his side, pulling the blanket back into place once he settled. Never in a million years would Zander have thought Max would come to him like this. For all that he distrusted Zander, he had still helped.
Aww, he was a sweetie after all. Zander’s instincts had been right on the money. He got an arm around Max’s waist, letting his head rest against his shoulder, happy. Even if he was still cold.
Max hissed in response. “Damn, you’re freezing. A cold bag of blood can drop your body temperature this fast?”
“Vampires run a little cold to begin with,” Zander said with a happy smile. “It’s why we traditionally live in warm places. It doesn’t take much to drop our body temperature.”
“Oh. So is drinking from a human like having a coffee or tea?”
“Temperature wise, yes.” Zander tilted his head up a little, inhaling deeply. Max smelled fucking fantastic. He’d love to nibble a little but he wasn’t about to ruin the moment. This was the first time Max had willingly come close. He’d behave himself to prove Max’s judgement wasn’t wrong.
After a moment, Max spoke. “Can I ask another question?”
“You can ask anything you’d like.”
“I don’t know a lot about vampires. Maybe as much as the average Joe. Parts of what happened this morning at the hospital either surprised or confused me. What the nurse said—about your blood being more powerful than most—I didn’t understand that.”
