Just like how you used to feel about Ash,a traitorous voice in his head whispered.He’s the one you should be thinking about.
Kieran chose to ignore that.
After a pause, Sebastian called from inside, “Sorry—it’s, ah, locked from the outside with magic.”
Oh, right, duh.Forgot about that.I really do need more sleep.Kieran’s eyes darted around the frame, looking at what spellcasting method could have done that, and found a small rune painted beside the handle.Probably Briar’s doing,he decided.Delilah rarely uses runes.
“Give me a second,” Kieran called back.He set the mugs on a side table below an oil painting in the hallway, then used his fist to rub away the ink.As he pulled away, he heard a lock click.“Okay, should be good.”
Kieran grabbed the mugs as Sebastian opened the door.He was dressed far more casually than usual, wearing just blackundershorts and a tight, sleeveless dark-blue shirt instead of his usual put-together businesswear.His arms and legs were exposed, and it became exceedingly apparent to Kieran that Sebastian was quite fit.He was muscular in a lithe way, defined but not bulky.His hair had been washed but hung messily in his eyes.His shirt rode up a bit, exposing the divots above his hip bones and a small dusting of hair beneath his belly button.
Oh, shit.
Kieran broke into a cold sweat as the blood seemed to drain from his brain and venture downward all at once.His thoughts became a string of curse words as he tried to distract himself with mental images of other things—a boring passage from a book he’d read, the Celdwynian national anthem, the concept of taxes—to little avail.
Hoping to draw attention elsewhere, he shoved the mug in his left hand directly into Sebastian’s face.“I made you coffee!”
Sebastian blinked.He reached up, his fingers brushing Kieran’s as he took it.The touch sent an electric jolt through Kieran that only made things worse.
Well, if there was any question about my inability to stay focused on Ash, that’s gone out the window.
“Oh—thank you.That’s…very thoughtful.Did you want to sit down for a bit?”Sebastian hooked a thumb back toward the little sitting area beneath his window.There were two chairs and a small table, identical to the ones in Kieran’s room.“I…assume you have questions about last night.”
“I— Yes!”Kieran’s face was absolutely burning.“Sitting down, great call.”
Sebastian cocked an eyebrow at him for a moment but thankfully didn’t comment on the fact that Kieran had turned the color of a ripe tomato.Kieran took a seat, scooting the chair in and silently thanking whoever had built this table for saving him from a deeply awkward situation.While he did his best to steady himself, Sebastian sat down across from him, taking a sip of coffee.
“Mmm,” he said, pulling it away from his lips.A bit of foam stuck to his upper lip.Kieran inwardly cursed at how cute it looked as Sebastian added, “This islovely.”
“I’m a barista back home in Gellingham,” Kieran explained, finally feeling as if he could breathe again.I’m overthinking it.Definitely just overthinking it.“Whenever I get bored at work, I start throwing stuff together to make new drinks.That’s one of my favorites.”
“Well, I’ll have to start coming to your coffee shop when this is all over,” Sebastian said.He took another sip, then paused.“Assuming you’ll have me, of course.I’d completely understand if you’d rather not invite someone with a condition like mine into your place of work.”
Kieran’s forehead wrinkled.If there was one thing he was familiar with, it was self-loathing, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow coming from someone else.It made him want to reach across the table and put his hand over Sebastian’s just to reassure him that he wasn’t afraid of him.
But I won’t,Kieran told himself.Because I have Ash.
“It’s a curse,” Kieran finally said, shaking off those thoughts.“Trust me, I know from experience how terrible they are.I’d never judge you for something like that.”
“Shouldn’t you?”Sebastian asked.“You saw what happened.I nearly attacked you last night.I could have killed you.”
“But you didn’t,” Kieran pointed out.His fingers went to the bandage on his neck for a moment.“That has to count for something.”
Sebastian worried at his lower lip, sitting back in his seat.He cradled his mug like something precious, sighing.Dawn sun streamed in, making his long lashes cast shadows across his cheekbones.He was, genuinely, one of the most beautiful people Kieran had ever seen.
“I wasn’t always like this,” Sebastian said, thumb rubbing the side of his mug in circles.“It’s only been…six months, maybe?I’ve gotten better at controlling it since I was first cursed, but it’s never easy.The thirst is always there in the background, like an alarm in my brain that never turns off.It gets quieter but never goes silent.”
Kieran sipped his own coffee.“You were cursed that recently?That’s terrible, Sebastian.Have you considered going to the Witches’ Council for help?”
Sebastian shook his head.“No.The person who put it on me…Well, their magic is very strong.I doubt the Council could do anything.”
“What do you mean?”Kieran narrowed his eyes.“Was it a famous witch or something?Because even they can fall.My family’s a great example: After the curse on me and Briar broke, the blessing tied to it broke too, and their supernatural luck vanished.That’s why they’re in every paper for a newly discovered scandal each week.”
“Not exactly,” Sebastian said.“It’s, ah.It’s a long story.I’d rather not get into it.It’s not easy for me to think about.”
“Oh—that’s okay.”Kieran rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.“I don’t love talking about my curse much either, even though it’s broken.You don’t have to share more than you’re comfortable with.”
Sebastian’s nearly black eyes met Kieran’s.There were bruiselike marks under them—it occurred to Kieran that Sebastian probably hadn’t slept at all last night after everything.“Maybe…maybe I can share a little about mine, and in exchange, you tell me a little about yours?”Sebastian suggested.
