“He’syours.” I close the tablet’s cover and set it aside. “He’s your boy, right?”
He nods. “Does that bother you?”
“No. Should it? I mean, did you compel him to be that to you?”
He smiles as he shakes his head. “No. He arrived in Homer, and we met at a hotel bar. I did not have to compel him. Not that first night, or any other since. He loves me, and I love him.”
“Well, there you go, then. Sounds copacetic to me. Consenting adults.”
“I hate that I cannot be there with him to help him through this, but I know I cannot, for many reasons.” He focuses on me. “But what about you? Seems like you’ve referred to your Dexter in a way that’s more than friends or lovers.”
“We talking as equals now and have a trust box?”
“Of course.”
I blink away the unexpected tears. “I thought Dexter and I were going to have…that. Him be my Sir. He’s definitely an in-charge kind of guy, and he’s the first man I’ve ever trusted enough to let go to like that. First vampire I was ever with, too.”
“I am sorry, my dear. I suspected there was more to your tale, but I wished to respect your privacy.”
Next thing I know, I’m crying the whole damn story out to him, and he’s passing me paper towels.
“You know what’s so stupid?” I blow my nose. “He said I was his, and that when he woke up we were going to have a conversation about our future.” I dab at my eyes. “I finally,finallylet my guard down, and thenbam, I see the phantom dog. I mean, how ironic isthat, right? I find the perfect guy for me, and I have to leave.”
“You didn’t have to leave. I’m sure he would have helped you with it.”
“I don’t even know what it is! Tucson isn’t Homer. If I’d stayed there and that thing stayed there, too, it wouldn’t be long before someone noticed it. That’s not something containable. That would draw a lot of the bad kind of attention to vampires and shifters, and I’m not going to be that reason.”
He sadly sighs. “I promise I will not interfere, but I would bet your Dexter is likely very upset over your departure. Are you ever going to contact him and at least let him know you’re safe?”
I sniffle. “I don’t know. I need to figure out a way to do it where he can’t trace me.”
“Please take this advice in the way it is intended, but it is intensely painful to know someone you love needs help, you can offer that help, but are not allowed to due to circumstances. Please, consider contacting him,hmm?”
“Don’t you fricking dare, boss.”
“What about your friend, Neimus? Could he not pass word for you?”
“And have Dexter hound him? Yeah, no.” I’ve been playing with the ring while we talk. “Maybe if I could finally figure this part out, see if the ring really is connected, that’d be different. But I don’t have any answers.”
“May I see your ring?”
“Yeah, just don’t put it on. I’m convinced there’s a connection between it being worn and the thing appearing. Dexter was the last to put it on. That’s the other reason I don’t want him here, because I don’t want the thing focused on him, if that’s the case.”
He nods.
I hand it over and he studies it, finally shaking his head as he returns it. “I am sorry, but it doesn’t look familiar to me. Although I spent relatively little time in that region throughout the years. Most of that time was in the last couple of centuries.”
“Thanks anyway.” I tuck it back under my shirt.
“Listen. Tonight, I’ll grill us some steaks on the deck. We’ll drink, and toast our missing loves, and stare at the stars, and share stories.”
“You’re a big softy.”
“Yes, well, you never met me in my youth. You would not say that about me if you had. Frankly, I prefer myself this way. I feel it suits me better.” He sadly smiles. “I thought I would miss the thrill of the hunt and kill. In my youth, I never imagined a sedate, peaceful life such as this would appeal to me so much. Somewhere along the way, Corbin snuck into my shattered heart and gently started putting the pieces back together before I even realized it.” He cocks his head at me. “Well? What about dinner?”
“As long as you make me those crispy potatoes with the truffle oil.” I smile. “I love those.”
He happily rubs his hands together. “Perfetto!”
