He pushes his fingers through my hair, pressing them against my scalp, and I want to cry again. Maybe I did die out there. Maybe this is what happens to vampires when we die, which is a lot fucking better than I could have ever hoped for.
My next breath wavers and Vlad’s grip tightens on me.
“Stay with me,” I whine, clutching at him even as he moves us both further up the bed. My eyelids are too heavy to keep open. The pillow feels light under my head.
“Always,” Vlad says, a desperate urgency in his voice. “I will never leave you, Grant.Never.”
He means it. Maybe he did die, too. Maybe this is what we get, forever. I press my face against his chest. Okay. I can deal with that.
I just hope he’ll still be here when I wake up.
Chapter Fourteen
Vladimir
Forawhile,Isimply watch Grant sleep. That is after I have removed his shoes and tucked him under the duvet and slipped away for long enough to change into my pyjama bottoms. Perhaps Eirian will come for us, but I doubt that she will make her move today.
I cannot bring myself to care beyond the anger that flickers at the back of my mind. It is brief, snuffed out by the way Grant isall pressed up against me, even as he slumbers on. I shuffle down the bed, bringing us face-to-face, and wrap one arm around his middle.
Can I truly have this? Havehim? For a moment, I truly believed I had been tricked. Why would he kiss me?
My lips tingle. We can discuss that when he wakes, though I do not know if that will be hours or perhaps even days from now. I trace his features with my eyes. He radiates heat, skin almost glowing with it, though I am not certain he was out there for longer than several minutes.
I sigh and sit up slightly, reaching for my phone. I need to inform the Huntsman of what has happened with Eirian, though I am unsure whether I will keep this new development regarding Grant to myself.
I grimace as the line rings. Perhaps I will tell him. He will undoubtedly know that something is wrong. Different. He can pick up on subtleties like that.
Only, he does not answer. I attempt to call twice more, but the phone rings and rings and then sends me to voicemail. Frowning, I dial Asher instead. Paxton will coax everything out of me, and I do not know if Jeremiah or Maurice will still be awake at this time of the morning.
“Vlad? Everything okay?”
I glance at Grant again, still sleeping peacefully behind me. My chest feels tight. Not painful, not a terrible feeling at all.
“Fine,” I murmur. “I have been attempting to contact the Huntsman, but—”
“He left yesterday.”
“Left?”
“Went to the Otherworld.” Something clatters, as though Asher is doing something, and I hear the faint murmur that tells me his mate is near. “Jeremiah rang me last night. Said he’d let you know later today.”
“Hm.” I don’t like that. Not Jeremiah not telling me—that makes sense, as he knows we are working. But that the Huntsman has left so quickly and without warning. “I may require your assistance here.”
Asher is silent for a moment. “Really?”
“We encountered the fae last night.”
“Is Grant okay? Are you—”
“We are both…” I hesitate. “We are both fine.”
“Vlad.”
“We are. I promise you, I would not—” What? Allow Grant to be hurt. He was hurt. I am certain of that. He thought he would die. I believed he was already gone. “We are fine.”
“Okay, okay. Look, we can be there in a few hours. Send me your hotel address. I’ll text you when we leave and we’ll come straight to you.”
We? I don’t ask. If Asher wishes to bring his mate along, that is his business, not mine.
