“Do me a favor and try to stay on the legal side.We don’t want the authorities paying too much attention to us.”
“I’ll try.”He didn’t make any promises.The government would investigate whatever it wanted, and magical researchers were among its favorite targets.His spell orbs had been a boon in more than one way.The cops protected him from investigation, thinking rightly that he would be less willing to develop products for them if they were giving him a hard time.
“I didn’t know you made things that weren’t in orb form.”Jaks slid down to be even with Quentin.The vampire’s persuasive mouth derailed Quentin’s train of thought before he could answer.Vampires were terrible for his concentration, or at least his was.It took him several minutes to regain his voice.
“I don’t make salves often, but I thought it would be good to have some on hand for my students.”When using candles and even some runes, there was a potential for burns if they were careless, and beginners are always careless.
“I’m sure you could use some burn salve yourself.Especially with all your ‘experimentation’.”Jaks turned Quentin’s right hand over, exposing a minor burn.
“I heal quickly.It was much worse before.”
Jaks kissed the injury.“Somehow that isn’t as reassuring as you probably thought it was.”
Quentin snickered over Jaks’s dry tone.“Sorry.”He wasn’t going to mention the many times he’d already blistered his hands without having any salve available.Jaks was right that there was more than one reason he was looking to refine his recipe.
“When are you going to pick up your order?”
“Within the next few days, I’m too tired to deal with Hafrey today.I don’t want to wait too long because I want my herbs fresh.”It took a lot of energy to deal with the older wizard’s nonsense, and Quentin was still exhausted from last night.
“Let me know when you’re going, and I’ll send a guard with you.”
“That’s not necessary,” he automatically protested.Even as he said the words, he knew they were wasted.
“Did you forget about Glenn’s sire or that we never discovered who had trapped you in the basement?Not to mention that as my consort, you are required to have a guard unless you are in a magically protected area such as this house or your lab.”
“What if I’m with you?”Quentin kissed Jaks on the corner of his mouth but leaned back when Jaks tried to encourage a deeper kiss.“Surely my strong, beautiful vampire can protect me.”
“Depends on where we are.”He slid his fingers through Quentin’s hair, cradling the back of his head to hold him still for another kiss.“If we are going amongst other vampires, I’ll require multiple guards.I won’t ever leave you vulnerable if I can help it.”
“You know I’m not some helpless damsel waiting to be saved.I can slay the fucking dragon myself,” Quentin protested.
Jaks kissed Quentin’s forehead.“Darling, I know in my head that you are a competent wizard, but my instincts are screaming at me for having an unprotected mate.Please, humor me, beloved.”
He was ready to argue until he tilted his head up and caught Jaks’s expression.He sighed.“Fine.But if no one attacks me for a month, I want to revisit this conversation.”
Jaks’s chest rumbled beneath Quentin’s cheek.“I somehow doubt you can stay out of trouble for that long.”
Quentin wished he had a stronger argument, but he gave up on it as a bad job.Instead, he wrapped his arm around Jaks’s waist and snuggled in closer.“This is nice.”
Jaks kissed the top of his head.“Unfortunately, I can’t stay here all day cuddling as much as I’d like to.”
“Shame.Who are you planning to assign as my guard?”There were several vampires Quentin wouldn’t trust to watch his back, and a few who would actively throw him to his enemies.Many weren’t a fan of Jaks’s ‘human pet’ as they called him when Jaks wasn’t around.He didn’t appreciate the nickname, but he also didn’t want to start a war over their pettiness.It wasn’t worth the wasted energy.The vampires who saw him fight were more respectful, mainly because they knew he could incinerate them with a spell.Unfortunately, that was only a handful of them, and Quentin didn’t have the energy or interest in proving himself to those who wouldn’t find him worthy, no matter what he was capable of.If they didn’t try to confront him or his mother, their opinion meant little.His mother had raised him with positive self-esteem, and he wouldn’t let bitey sycophants undermine it.
Jaks kissed the top of Quentin’s head, lulling him into a false sense of peace before dropping the verbal bomb.“Braed.”
Quentin sat up to glare at his lover.“Ugh, why him?You have several less annoying vampires.”
Jaks grinned.“Because they will let you get away with too much.Braed is your mother’s sire and intimately involved in her life.He will be the most invested in making sure you don’t rush into danger.”
Quentin wrinkled his nose.“Isn’t their relationship a bit incestuous?He’s her sire.”
“It doesn’t quite work that way,” Jaks said, amusement in his voice.“I know I said I didn’t want to change her because of our relationship, but that was only so I didn’t have that kind of connection with my mother-in-law.”
Quentin choked at Jaks’s phrasing.“We aren’t married.”
Jaks hooked a finger through Quentin’s necklace and pulled him in for another kiss.“Lovely, we are already bound by magic and soul, a certificate won’t change our relationship.The consort ceremony is only for the others.”He tucked a strand of hair behind Quentin’s ear.“We can also file human paperwork if it makes you feel better.”
“That didn’t sound patronizing at all,” he said, deadpan.He pinched Jaks’s side and frowned when the vampire didn’t react.
