“Why?”
“Because humans would try to take advantage of the benefits of a longer life without providing the emotional support a vampire needs for a proper partnership.We purposely wiped that information from the history books after the slaughter of ’78.”
Quentin sucked in a breath.“They always gloss over what happened in history class.They claim it was some sort of vampire uprising, but they never say why.”Even as he tried to remember the class they discussed it in, he couldn’t recall the details.
Damn, his memory sucked.
“They wouldn’t share the facts even if they knew them.Not before framing it as the vampire’s fault.”
“What really happened?”Quentin wasn’t going to defend humans.Jaks was right about how some of them might respond to the possibility of living centuries beyond their natural lifespan.
Jaks scowled.“It started when Elize Stonely was turned down as a consort for Jacob Rathbourne.He was a born vampire from a prominent family, and although he loved her, he wouldn’t bond with her.Obsessed with becoming immortal, she lied to her father about their relationship, claiming Jacob raped her.”
“They killed him, didn’t they?”Quentin’s stomach swirled uneasily.
“Yes, and his entire clan.Of course, they claimed the vampires had been the aggressors, and when his clan retaliated, they were accused of being monsters.That’s why we are careful about transforming people.Your friend Glenn was a rarity, and the way he was changed doesn’t seem to be due to emotional attachment.I’m still uncertain why he was chosen, even accidentally.”
“And my mother?”
“She was changed for you.”Jaks pressed his soft lips to Quentin’s forehead.“You still don’t understand the power you have over me.Our passions control us, vampires.When we pick our life mate, we will do everything in our power to make them happy.Of course, there are always exceptions, but you and I are the gold standard, not the outlier.My rule will partly be judged by how I treat my beloved.”
He continued before Quentin could speak.
“That doesn’t mean I treat you well for show.I truly care for you, beloved, and I will do everything I can to ensure your life is filled with as much joy as possible.That doesn’t mean I’ll always let you have your way; my primary job is to make sure you have everything you need, not necessarily everything you want.”
Quentin’s chest puffed up.“I’m not a child who is asking for too much candy.I am my own person.I don’t need you to get things for me.”He refused to be seen as merely an extension of his lover, no matter how much he cared for Jaks.
“I know, my sweet.To me, you are an amazingly independent individual.To others, you are the second half of my soul, and they will expect you to act accordingly.”He held up his hands as if to hold off Quentin’s vitriol.“Although I’d appreciate it if you were polite to other vampires, I don’t expect you to bow to their expectations or let them push you around.I picked you for your fierce spirit.It would be foolish to expect my lion to become a housecat.”
Quentin felt his cheeks heat, ridiculously pleased to be considered lionlike.“I think we’ve wandered off topic.”
“Have we?”Jaks cupped Quentin’s cheek.“I think announcing you as my consort is exactly on topic.”
He sighed.Conversations with vampires were so hard to keep on track.His vampire, especially.“I don’t mind being known as your consort, but we have things of higher priority right now.”
“Nothing is more important than you.”Jaks sat on the couch beside Quentin.Before he could continue their argument, Jaks pressed his mouth to Quentin’s in a hard, hot, soul-consuming kiss.They parted, panting.
Quentin gave a smug smile at the wild look in Jaks’s eyes.If he wasn’t careful, he could easily be consumed by this powerful, handsome vampire.He was proud that he could hold his own against his passionate lover.“Ready for some bonding time?”
“Can I at least take my socks off?”Jaks whispered against Quentin’s lips.
“You can take off anything you want as long as you return quickly.”Quentin trailed his fingers across Jaks’s high cheekbones before releasing him.
Jaks licked his lips, eyes never wavering from Quentin’s.“No problem.”
With startling vampire speed, Jaks stripped off every bit of cloth covering his muscled body.
A strangled sound caught in Quentin’s throat.It took him a minute to find his voice.“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Jaks’s cheeks turned a faint pink.The brightest Quentin had ever seen a vampire blush.“Sweet-talking me out of my clothes will work every time.”
“Good.”Quentin smiled, exhaustion fading as his libido kicked into high gear.
“You are a bit overdressed for this party, however.”
“Hmm.”Quentin trailed his gaze over every inch of his lover.
“Clothes?You are wearing too many.”
