“Yep, that’s me, independent.”He offered a cheery smile and didn’t mention there was more than one reason he was that way, partly because a single mother raised him.
CHAPTER11
Quentin woke to the smell of bacon.
Not the worst thing he’d ever woken to.He groaned when he remembered he had to teach class today.It wasn’t the kids or the teaching part he disliked; it was the bureaucracy.
Ugh.
Opening his eyes revealed the gorgeous sight of Jaks lounging beside him, wearing only pajama bottoms.He took the time to admire his beautiful vampire’s delightfully bare chest.
“How was your meeting with the council?”His voice came out rough, and he desperately needed a glass of water, but he was reluctant to move.Jaks had spent most of the past few days talking to council members about various clan problems and trying to feel them out over Glenn’s sire.Quentin wiggled deeper under the covers as he waited for his answer.
Sue him, he was comfortable.
“Fine.”
“What did they want to talk about?”He wasn’t going to deny he was curious about what old-as-dirt vampires chatted about.
Jaks’s warm voice washed over Quentin like an aural hug.“Oddly enough, they only wanted to interrogate me about you and Glenn’s sire.They were very impressed with your credentials, my love.Don’t be surprised if they call you with orders for your amazing inventions.They also found it very amusing that you were the one to take out Vlad.”
“Because I’m human?”
“And also, because you did it quickly and without bloodshed.As vampires, we always enjoy a little blood, but they were particularly surprised by the accounts from various witnesses over how you captured Vlad.Apparently, some of my clan were extremely proud that I claimed you as mine.I might have bragged a little.”
Still half-asleep, Quentin couldn’t imagine a scenario where any vampire, other than Jaks, his mother, or possibly Glenn, would be proud of Quentin being their consort.He tried to banish the happy glow that gave him.There were probably more who would be happier to drain him dry.It was too soon to be patting himself on the back over his inclusion into Jaks’s clan.
“Glad I could make their day,” he said dryly.Not sure of the proper response.
“More like their century.Norson, one of the council members, had been trying to have Vlad reprimanded for years.He wanted me to relay that he was willing to grant you a favor in the future as a reward for your capture.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.I don’t suppose one of those favors can be letting us take care of the vampire in the woods?”
Jaks’s face took on a stony cast.“No.They were quite insistent that he be left alone.I did find out his name, though.”
Quentin raised an eyebrow, waiting.
“Nikko.He is an ancient, loner vampire.They tried to portray him as a senile old man in his retirement.Even after I told them that he attacked and abandoned Glenn, they didn’t change their minds.They are sticking to the letter of vampiric law.I’m meeting with them again to see if I can find any wiggle room.”
“I hate bureaucracy,” Quentin snarled.“They’d rather look the other way than admit one of their kind has fallen off their rocker.”
“Scoot up.I brought brunch with my bad news.”Jaks picked up a tray off the table beside him, and Quentin slid until his back met the upholstered headboard.
Jaks placed the tray over Quentin’s lap.After their conversation, the scent of bacon had lost its shine, but Jaks’s hopeful expression had Quentin reluctantly eating.He’d rather throw it against the wall to show his anger, but his mother raised him with manners, and it was the first time a lover had brought him food in bed.He didn’t want to discourage that behavior.
It wasn’t like any of this was Jaks’s fault.
He was trying.
Crap.He was a sap for his sexy vampire.
“How are you feeling?”
Quentin leaned into Jaks’s touch as the vampire stroked his head.“Sleepy.”
“You’ve been working too hard.Make sure to take a break when you need one.”
“You nag worse than my mother,” he teased.
