They walked past the rows of parked cars.
“The hard drive might not be damaged.It’s likely your data can still be salvaged and transferred to a new machine.I can do that for you if you’d like.”
Puck stopped dead.“What is this?Did…Wait.Wait.Oh, shit.You know Bernard, don’t you?Last night, today, it’s all a fucking setup.”Puck’s eyes widened, and he backed away from Peter.“I don’t know what he told you, but I’m not payment.I’m not for sale.”
Peter wished he had a more personable personality.He’d never before wished for that.Perhaps if he had, he could’ve talked Puck into his car quickly, but as it stood, Puck was starting into a new burst of panic.
That meant he was not going to get into the car with Peter, which meant they would still be here when Grabby Meathands recovered, and Peter could not be murdering strange vampires in the linguistics department parking lot in broad daylight.It just would not do.
So he did a thing for which he would have to atone in the most apologetic manner later.He dashed forward, took Puck’s chin, and pushed his compulsion on the human.
“Relax.We’re going to leave now.You’re coming with me.You’ll stay calm and quiet on the drive.”
Puck’s breaths stuttered out of him as if a dam inside him had been cracked.
“Yes.”His voice was small and faraway.
Peter stepped back.“You really are safe with me, but right here is not the best place for you to be while that vampire is still looking to claim you.My car is over there.”
Puck followed.He had no choice in the matter.Peter felt guilty, and there were few things as thoroughly annoying as feeling guilty.The absolute bother.
6
Theo
Theowasfreakingthefuck out.He was sitting in the passenger seat of the vampire’s Mercedes, and he could do nothing but relax and keep quiet.The pounding of his own heart echoed in his ears, and fear was licking along his nerve endings like a knife pressed to his neck.
The vampire glanced over.“I’m taking you to my house on Winchester.If you would feel more comfortable, text someone where we are going.”
Theo snorted.“Text?”
The vampire looked over again.“What?”
“Who would I tell?”Theo asked quietly, because he had been compelled to remain quiet, and speaking up was impossible.
“A friend?Celeste, even.”
“Is this a threat?Are you trying to get Celeste to kick me out for being with a client outside of work?Is that it?”
Celeste had specifically told Theo that something like that was a big no-no.If so negotiated, providing an evening of company outside the Boudoir was fine, but this was not that, and Theo knew it.
“Why would I do that?The nature of your work allows me easy access to you whenever I should desire it.Outside of it, you can show me the door, and there is nothing I can do about it.”Peter moved the gear shift.“If you’re worried about your work contract, I drafted that, and it pertains to you taking on work outside of the Boudoir.It’s there to protect you, but this isn’t work.”
“No shit.You fucking abducted me.”Theo’s voice was too relaxed, the compulsion taking the heat out of the statement.
“I removed you from a situation that could’ve potentially taken an unfavorable turn, that is true.I would like to offer my help with your laptop, and then, since I already told Meathands you were my client, I would also like to discuss possible next steps.The vampire seemed lacking in the brains department, so I’m afraid further action will be required.”
Theo’s mind was reeling.He was coming down from the shock of seeing Bernard, and he’d just now realized he hadn’t eaten since the chocolate chip cookie back at the Boudoir.
“Meathands?”His mind had snagged on that for no good reason he could see.
“The vampire who put those bruises on you.”Peter’s blue icicle eyes focused on Theo’s arm, where the marks Barnard had left were blooming red.
Theo snorted.“Believe me, he’s done worse.”
Peter eyed him.“I do believe you.”Those words were followed by a long pause, and the tension in the car made Theo feel as if he were a lemon being squeezed for lemonade.“You made the right choice, leaving him.”
“No shit.Running from the asshole vampire who thought he could use me to pay his debts was the right fucking choice.Genius observation.”
