If Karim had a reaction, he covered it, because his expression didn’t change. He only began to leverage himself up off the couch. “Cool, can we go then? I’m starved.”
Julien shook his head fondly, but looked to Luis for an answer.
“Yeah,” Luis said, “I’m good to go.”
So they went.
Chapter Twelve
Four days later, Luis tested his levels and they were high.
He sighed, lying on his bed and grabbed his phone. He opened up a text to Julien and stared at the screen.
Should he just use the needle? It had worked for years. It was uncomplicated and reliable.
Just thinking about it made the crooks of his arms ache. Luis groaned and turned over to bury his face in his pillow.
Karim had bitten him, and now he wanted to know what it would be like if Julien did it. Julien, who’d yet to even drink his blood in front of him. Who was so, so careful about boundaries and propriety.
What would it be like to have Julien’s steady hands on him? To have his voice right in Luis’s ear murmuring for him torelax, that everything was going to beokay.
His feelings were tangled strings. Fear, desire, excitement, dread. He felt like he could pluck each one and hear their notes.
He wanted this and also dreaded taking another step forward. He already felt too much when it came to the two of them, and to let Julien bite him would be to invite more. To let himself be further compromised.
It was stupid to like them so much. None of it could end well, they weremarried.
But non-exclusively married.
Luis rolled back over.
He’d spent his twenties not taking chances, playing it safe. As a result, his life had become small and boring and empty. Nothing happened to him in his twenties, for good or for bad. Moving out and signing up to work for vampires had shaken hislife up. It had led to the bad thing that had happened with that guy at the bar, but it had also led to two new friendships he was desperate now not to lose.
So, the question really was, what did Luis want: small and safe, or the big, scary risk?
Luis picked up his phone, and sent the text.
##
“You’re going to let Julien bite you?” Karim asked the second he dropped Luis’s plate in front of him on Friday.
“Karim,” Julien said warningly.
But Luis had spent days tying himself into knots and working them free, and now he was mostly calm about the choice he’d made. “If Julien’s still okay with it,” he said.
“Oh, he is,” Karim said with a smirk. He took his seat, eyes heavy on Luis, and Luis tried not to look at his stupidly attractive face.
“The last time healed so much better than when I stick myself,” Luis said, trying for pure logic.
“I’m glad,” Julien said. His fingers slid around to trace the bottom of his wine glass. “Neither of us want you to suffer needlessly. If this is easier and more comfortable, we’re happy to help.”
Karim snorted. “Luis, please tell him that you’re good with your choice. He’s been fretting about it all week.”
Julien, for once, looked caught out, eyes widening before he shot Karim a look that Luis was beginning to understand meant,sweetheart, shut your mouth.
“I really am sure,” Luis said with all the confidence he could muster. “I wouldn’t have texted you if I wasn’t. I want to try, at least.”
“Alright,” Julien said, inclining his head. Then he picked up his fork. “Let’s eat then. Karim, it looks wonderful as always.”
