He liked to take credit, even if Luc had technically found him first. He felt it kept his vampire humble.
Luc rolled his eyes. “I thank fate every day for the gift of you. Now—” He gave Jamie a firm swat on the ass. “Let’s go kill a sadist.”
JOHANN BONUS EPILOGUE
Jay
Jay rubbed himself down with his towel, making sure to catch every stray drop of water on his body. He didn’t want to get their bed all damp, and he had no intention of putting on pajamas. That would just be silly when he could sleep naked instead.
He went over his hair thoroughly as well, even though he’d still probably get a wet spot on the pillow. Usually Alexei did this part for him, but his mate had already showered before Jay got home from taking Tux out for a nighttime stroll in his special backpack, the one with the plastic bubble poking out that allowed the cat to observe the outside world.
Tuxlovedhis nighttime strolls. So did Jay. So did Alexei, usually.
But tonight he’d been working on some complicated financial reports for the shelter that frankly sounded boring as all heck, so Jay had left him to it and taken Tux out by himself.
It had been lovely and quiet in the streets, but it wasn’t nearly as nice as having Alexei there with him, holding Jay’s hand. Nexttime he’d just have to put his boring paperwork aside and come with Jay, anyway.
Quality time was important.
When Jay’s hair was as dry as it was going to get—the still-damp strands sticking up in all sorts of interesting ways—Jay tossed the towel into the bathroom hamper (the bathroom was so muchbiggerin their new home), and strolled out into the bedroom, ready to tear the offending documents out of Alexei’s hands so they could have a proper naked snuggle.
Except, while Alexei was in bed where Jay had left him (and wasn’t it so nice how he often did his work in their bed so Jay could still cuddle up to him when he got lonely?), he was no longer poring over boring financials. Instead, he had Jay’s e-reader in his hands, the one he’d gotten Jay for their one-year anniversary.
Jay paused at the foot of the bed, feeling his face flush a little. Not only because his mate looked so handsome there—sprawled on top of the covers in only his underwear, his broad chest on full display and his pretty hair down around his face—but because Jay was remembering exactly what he’d been reading on said device.
But maybe Alexei was looking at a different book?
Jay crawled carefully onto the mattress, sitting on his knees and trying to peer over the top of the reader. Alexei didn’t even glance at him, which was very rare when Jay was all clean and naked like this.
Jay cleared his throat. “Whatcha looking at?”
“Hm?” Alexei cocked a brow, his eyes still on his reading, and just by the sound of that little hum, Jay could tell there would be teasing ahead. Which Alexei confirmed with his next words. “Oh, just a little light reading. Not sure if you’ve heard of it.The Highlander’s Rod, I believe it’s called?”
“The Highlander’s Sword,” Jay corrected, a little indignant.
“Oops. My mistake.”
But it didn’t seem like it was a mistake at all. Jay crept forward on the bed slowly, not sure where this was going yet. Maybe Alexei didn’t like that Jay still read smutty books, even with all the delicious sex they were always having?
But Jay didn’t feel any disappointment or censure through the bond, only the slightest touch of amusement and the familiar swirl of desire Alexei always put out when Jay was naked around him. The latter was reassuring, since Alexei still wasn’t looking at him.
“I just got to a very interesting scene,” Alexei mused, ignoring Jay’s slow advancement.
“Oh!” Jay gave up on careful movements when he finally reached his destination, flopping down with his front to Alexei’s side, snuggling into his mate’s warmth. “The part where Fergus has to defend Miriam’s honor against the villainous count?”
“Mm? No.” Alexei snaked his hand around Jay’s waist, tugging him even more firmly against him. “The part where Fergus has Miriam bent over in the stables and is whispering some truly filthy things into her virgin ears.”
“Oh.” Jay’s own ears were burning now, and he squirmed a little against Alexei’s broad frame, suddenly very aware that his now-hardening cock (he couldn’t help it, okay?) was pressed up against Alexei’s hip. He knew that scene. He knew that sceneverywell.
“It turns out that while Miriam doesn’t appreciate the count’s attentions, she doesn’t quite mind having the fearsome Highlander at her back. Why do you think that is, kitten?”
Jay bit at his bottom lip. “Well, Fergus is very…kind. To Miriam.”
“Is he?” Alexei made a skeptical noise. “This mentions him locking her up in his family’s keep.”
“Or—or maybe she just likes…” Jay was squirming again. He couldn’t help it. “Well, he’s very…big. I mean, hisbodyis. He’s very tall and muscular and…” Jay trailed off.
“I see.” Alexei’s fingers were tracing absent-minded circles along Jay’s bare hip, raising goose bumps in their wake. “And so Miriam likes that? How big and strong he is when she’s so…petite?”
