They were very pretty together. And interesting too. A cute, shy, freckled blond and his…his…
Oh! Jay’s eyes widened, and he bounced on his toes. “Oh, oh, oh!”
The pair broke the kiss, and the dark-haired human went back to glaring at Jay.
“I know, I know!” Jay cried. He tried to keep his voice down, but Alicia was giving him a look that told him he probably wasn’t managing it. “I know who you are! Cassian! Cassian and his mate!”
The human—Blake, that was his name, right?—stepped forward with a growl, tugging Cassian behind him. It was like he was protecting his mate, even though he was a fragile, breakable human. Howsweet.
Cassian peered out from behind Blake’s back. “Um. Do we know you?”
Jay beamed at him. “Danny told me! Oh, he’s going to be so excited that you’re back! You’ll have to come to Thanksgiving, of course. I’ll add a pie to the list so we’ll have enough. Maybe cranberry? Do people make cranberry pie, or am I making that up?”
The pair exchanged a glance. Blake’s scowl softened, and Cassian shook his head. “That’s so kind, but we’re just passing through. We’re heading home to have Thanksgiving with our families.”
“Oh.” Some of Jay’s excitement deflated. “Are you sure? I hardly ever burn my pies anymore.”
“We’re sure,” Blake said firmly.
Cassian gave him a nudge, then smiled shyly at Jay. “We were going to text Danny, actually. To see if he wants to meet up so we can thank him again in person, since we’re here. He was so kind.”
Jay clapped with delight, his disappointment forgotten. “Oh, he’lllovethat. He really will. He’s such a good nurse, don’t you think?”
Cassian agreed, and after Alicia handed them their drinks, Jay followed the couple to their table. They seemed a littleconfused by the attention but not overtly hostile. The handsome Blake even became a little less surly as they chatted. Maybe he realized Jay wasn’t a threat, despite him being another vampire. When Blake was more relaxed, he was very charming, with a nice smile and a casual protectiveness toward his mate that Jay was delighted to see.
Everyone deserved a wonderful mate, especially sweet college students who were turned without their say-so.
And Cassianwasso sweet, blushing and grinning shyly at everything Jay said.
Jay learned they were both still in college, on break for Thanksgiving and driving to see their families, since the airports got so busy around the holidays. And after a bit of prying, they told him they were waiting for after college to address Blake’s…continued humanity.
They told him a bit about what they were studying, what student life was like, how Cassian had adjusted to undergraduate life as a vampire.
They were like Alicia, in a way, growing and expanding their minds and their purposes. Everyone in their place of learning.
A little kernel of an idea planted in Jay’s mind—something to think about.
Alexei
The front door opening might have been the sweetest sound Alexei had ever heard.
Alexei loved how excited Jay got for the den’s holiday gatherings—he really did. It was just that the week leading up to Thanksgiving or Christmas or whichever often meant a…surprisingly independent Jay. One who spent long afternoons with Danny going over plans and menus, long evenings with Colin and Jamie catching up while they were in town with their mates, and—as of today—long mornings with Alicia at Death by Coffee while she wasn’t quite so busy with school.
“She misses me terribly,” Jay had told Alexei forlornly just that morning. Never mind that Jay popped by the coffee shop at least twice a week, often when Alicia was working.
And now it was Alexei who missed Jay terribly.
He’d been going over some of the paperwork for the shelter that needed their attention to pass the time, but he was used to completing that particular task with Jay perched on his lap, nuzzling into Alexei’s chest while he laughed at the ridiculousness of the legal jargon.
Which pretty much always inevitably led to Alexei bending Jay over the desk, neither of them laughing at all.
Alexei’s cock stirred, and he swiped a hand over his face, trying to pull himself together before Jay made it into the office. God, he felt like a lecherous old creep whose only drive in life was to have his gorgeous mate bouncing on his cock.
Jay was allowed to have other interests, obviously. And he was definitely allowed to have friends he saw without Alexei lurking at his side. Alexei was only maybe feeling a little…needy.
A moment later Jay bounded into the spare room they’d converted into an office. Alexei rolled his office chair back from the desk, turning it to face him.
The bond was bubbling with excitement, and Jay looked like sunshine incarnate, wearing bright yellow sweatpants and an equally bright yellow shirt that were just a shade away from matching correctly. His gray eyes were practically glowing.
