Seth hadn’t been planning to share that particular bit of information, but the confusion was working as a sort of torture device, and he couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
“Ah. Congrats.” Benny let out a long sigh. “No magic villas though. That’s a bummer.”
Seth loved his cousin. He really did. But he was going to get a migraine if he kept this conversation up. “Well, I—I should get back to closing.”
“Sure thing. But, Seth? If you need help, we’ll be there. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. Helio’s good with bargains—he can get you out of it.” Benny’s voice hardened as much as Seth had ever heard it. “You’ve got, like, backup.”
“Thanks, Benny. Love you, dude.”
After more mutual affirmations of cousinly love, Seth hung up.
But Benny’s words lingered in his brain. Because that was right, wasn’t it? Seth had backup.Supernaturalbackup, at that. He’d known that, in the back of his mind, after his talk with Sascha.
And he’d let himself get kidnapped anyway.
What did that say about him? That he had a big, fat crush on a vampire, probably. And that he was maybe more of a pushover than he’d thought. He should probably work on that. Otherwise, how would he even have a hope of holding his own in this strange new world?
“Everyone gets to be your backup but me.”
Seth turned to find Riley in the kitchen doorway, a sulky frown on his handsome face. Apparently his supernatural hearing had let him eavesdrop on both sides of Seth’s conversation. “I’m strong enough,” Riley insisted, as if Seth had been about to say otherwise. “I can protect you.”
Seth let out a tired laugh, rubbing a hand over his face. The early start to the day was catching up to him. “Protect me from what? You?”
That was the problem, wasn’t it? Seth didn’t know what or who he even needed protection from. He didn’t know enough about Riley’s world. He didn’t know enough about vampires. He’d never even seen Riley feed.
Riley’s sulk took on a stubborn cast. “I’m trying. I am. I—I want you to have everything you want. I want to be the one to give it to you.”
“And if I want space like before?”
Riley winced, but then he nodded. “Then I’ll leave. And I won’t come back until you tell me to.”
Seth waited a long, long moment, but Riley didn’t take back his reluctant words. Seth sighed. “Put your puppy dog eyes away. Youcan stay the night again.” He turned away to start his closing duties, then whirled back. “Actually, I have an idea.”
“No.”
Seth paused in the act of placing a blanket over the corner of his couch. He’d thought it might be a good way to prevent things getting too messy. “What do you mean, no?”
“I meanno,” Riley told him. “I don’t want to risk it.”
Seth frowned down at the blanket in his hands. “But you’ve done it before.”
“That was just nibbling. It wasn’t—it wasn’tfeeding.”
Seth turned. Riley was standing across the living room, looking unexpectedly distraught. His hands were fisted at his sides, his brow all furrowed, his mouth twisted like he might actually burst into tears.
Seth had waited until they were home to tell Riley he wanted to practice being vampire food. He’d only waited because he thought it would be kind of a fun surprise—he hadn’t actually thought Riley would object.
But apparently Seth had upset him deeply. He should have realized. This was a sore subject for Riley, and Seth had just sprung it on him with no warning.
Seth dropped the blanket and went over to Riley. He grabbed his broad hands, slipping his own between Riley’s fingers and his palms, forcing Riley to unclench his fists. “Can you explain to me the difference? Isn’t it just a matter of taking a little more than before?”
“I’ve just—” Riley’s gaze darted away, over to Seth’s window. “I’ve neverfedfrom a person. Not—not fully. The bites I’ve given you were slips. What if this time I slip and Idrainyou?”
“You won’t.”
A muscle in Riley’s jaw clenched and released. “How do you know?”
“Because you don’t want to hurt me.” Seth squeezed Riley’s hands, trying to transfer his conviction by sheer force of will. “And he doesn’t either. I know it.”
