“Balthazar has ordered menotto waste any of your strength.Tonight is the first of the Helm Bloodline parties, remember?”Ryder teased.“And we need you at your best.”
Despite his words, he found himself burying his face in the space between Grayson’s throat and shoulder.The scent of the young man flooded his nostrils and his fangs came out.He grimaced and withdrew.Drinking from Grayson was a no-no right now.He’d already drained a bottle and a half of blood, but Grayson still made himthirsty.
“Yes, how could I forget?Their idea of fun is to turn everyone to a life of crime,” Grayson chuckled.
His fingers carded through Ryder’s hair.Ryder rumbled in pleasure.Though he had told Julian that it wasn’t respectful to be petted in their animal forms, he found he adored being so inbothhis human and animal ones by Grayson.
“Yes, and they’ve Daemon to go along with it,” Ryder agreed.
“I suppose when your gift is invisibility a life of crime seems apropo,” Grayson admitted as he lazily kissed Ryder’s shoulder.
“So many cat burglars among them.”Ryder grimaced.“Not to mention, they’ve stolen many Ever Dark artifacts, too.Caemorn is convinced that if we raided their strongholds on Earth that we would find a treasure trove of magical weapons, enchanted jewelry and the like.”
“I’m sure he’s right.But you know that he doesn’t care that they’ve stolen.Only that–”
“He can’t be the one to investigate and use them?”Ryder completed his sentence.
“Yes, well, yes.But he doesn’t think that the Helm are doing anything with them at all.They’re like dragons who horde treasure.They can’t spend it, let alone truly appreciate it, and just roll around in it.So Caemorn thinks it’s a waste,” Grayson pointed out.
His cock was nudging Ryder’s stomach.Someone wasnotreserving his strength.Ryder was having the same issue.
“They aren’t having the students steal Ever Dark magical artifacts for them, are they?”Ryder’s eyebrows drew together.
“No, though there will be prizes of gold, silver, and gems.”Grayson laid out the plan, which Ryder had only heard tangentially.His focus was now firmly on theoutsideof Nightvallen while the other Immortals would concentrate on keeping the inside safe. “There are ten treasures.Each of them is hidden somewhere in Nightvallen.So the first step is that we have to break into the Helm mansion and steal a copy of the treasures’ locations without being caught.”
“By Vampires?How are younotgoing to be caught?”Ryder shook his head as he imagined Vampires pretending not to notice as students–giggling and wide-eyed–crouch-walked past them.
“That would be a problem, but the guards that are there are human.Acolytes and other workers who have agreed to help,” Grayson explained.“The real danger will be the traps.”
“What sort of traps exactly?They are keeping in mind that humans are fragile.This isn’t like sending a bunch of new fledglings in to burgle a place.”Ryder was frowning.
“Harmless traps like floors that give way to ball pits, alarms that sound, weapons that fire paintballs, etcetera.Obviously, I don’t know them all.The Helm have been quite secretive.Balthazar had to wheedle even that much out of them and he had to stress safety as the reason,” Grayson admitted.“Once we know where the treasures are then we need to get past all sorts of traps and guards and devices to obtain them, too.Whatever we get is ours to keep.”
“You know, if one were very clever–and underhanded–I would say wait for others to do the hard work of getting the maps and treasures before stealing both from them,” Ryder pointed out.
Grayson grinned.“I’m sure that will be some students’ modus operandi.But Eiji already has a plan to counteract that and take advantage of those who would do so.All the roommates have decided to work together to obtain the prizes. More likely to succeed as a team than simply as individuals.And Eiji is our leader.”
Ryder was surprised that Grayson wasn’t taking the lead.But, then again, he was playing the role of a harmless student, though Eiji now knew better.Still, he was happy that Grayson had released some control to others.This was agameafter all and did not require the General to focus upon it.Better for him to rest and relax.
“Eiji is playing?I thought since he is practically glued to Nero’s hip that he was out of the game now.”Ryder’s eyebrows lifted.
Nero, for all of his good natured and laid-back attitude, would be just the same as any Vampire Master who had chosen a Childe and that waspossessive.He wouldn’t want anyone sniffing around Eiji or eventhinkingthat they had a chance to win the older man over.
“Oh, he’s going to be Nero’s Childe, for sure.But he still wants to play.What’s the fun of being a yakuza boss if you have to stand on the sidelines for a heist like this?”Grayson pointed out.“Besides, Nero loves shiny things stolen from other people best of all.He’ll be thrilled if Eiji wins big.He’s cheering Eiji on.”
“And he gets one over on the Helm, too.I seem to recall him muttering something about a Helm Vampire stealing his drinking money?”Ryder asked.
Grayson nodded.“That he was drunk on corpse powder wine made that possible though.He shouldn’t be that mad at the Helm Vampire who took advantage.”
“The man forgets nothing.”
Grayson’s hands started to rove over Ryder’s front.Ryder suppressed a groan as his nipples peaked and his cock hardened.
“And what is your role in this heist tonight, Grayson?”he asked through clenched teeth.“Lookout?”
“You sound like you’rehopingthat’s all I do,” Grayson chuckled.
He’d started to kiss down Ryder’s front to his cock, which was rising out of a nest of curls.Grayson pushed him lightly onto his back.Despite Grayson only having human levels of strength, Ryder found himself mostly at Grayson’s pleasure.
