“Good.The more people nagging you, the better.Maybe you’ll listen to one of us.”
Quentin gave Jaks the scornful glare he deserved.
They remained like that for an hour.Talking and Quentin eating.Taking time to bask in being together, before Quentin’s phone chimed a merry tune.
“What was that?”
Quentin sat up.“I set a reminder to go to Hafrey’s house before class.I planned to pick up my order and buy a selection of common herbs to give my students examples of plants used in rituals.It’s a good time to teach it before we get further into rituals.”He checked the time.“Damn, it’s later than I thought.I won’t get to stop and talk to him.”He had woken closer to noon than his usual eight o’clock.It was the first time he was going to talk to Hafrey since Grevin’s attack.The surly necromancer was still at Jaks’s mansion, cursing at his healer, but reluctant to worry Quentin’s mother by leaving early.
Their dynamic was hilarious.
“Do you want me or Braed to go with you?”
“I notice you didn’t leave ‘go by myself’ as an option.”He couldn’t help but be amused by his lover’s attitude.After Grevin’s disappearance, he didn’t even feel a flicker of his usual annoyance at Jaks’s high-handedness.
“Because it’s not.There are still dangers out there, and I would feel much better if you had protection.”
“I’ll need someone to drive me.The herbs shouldn’t be covered in magic if we want to use them as an example.It might mess up the rituals.”
“Glenn can drive you, and Braed can guard you.”
“Why not Glenn guard me?”he asked, even as he suspected he knew the reason.
“He’s too new, and he’s not strong enough to take on your enemies.The most he can do is call for backup if you are attacked, and he can do that while Braed is protecting you.”
“Fair enough.”It wasn’t worth arguing about, and he did need a ride.“Are you spending your entire day in meetings?”
“Mostly, I want to find out how far they are willing to let Nikko go before I can hunt him down.Like I said.So far, I’ve had no luck.”
“Do you think they have a hidden agenda?Is there a reason they don’t want you to take him out?”
“They always have an agenda.I suspect they don’t want me to have a monopoly in this area.It’s one of the reasons they were happy you had captured Vlad.However, if Nikko comes after you, I’ll kill him.”
“If he comes after me, they’ll have to let you,” Quentin countered.“Won’t they, since we’re bonded?”
“They do.”He pinned Quentin with a stern look.“That doesn’t mean to let yourself be kidnapped.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”As tempting as the thought was to be bait, he preferred to remain out of the clutches of an unknown, possibly unhinged, vampire.
“Good.Call me if you get into trouble.”Jaks slid out of bed and dressed before Quentin’s appreciative gaze.After his socks and shoes were on, he picked up Quentin’s tray.“Come on, love, you are the one who told me you had to get going.”
“Ugh.I was enjoying the floor show.”He let Jaks pull him up.Although tempted to wallow in the extremely comfortable bed, he did have to start his day.
Jaks laughed, then kissed him on the tip of his nose.
“Careful, I have brutal morning breath.”
“I’m sure I can suffer through it.”He cupped the back of Quentin’s head and tilted Quentin’s chin up to give him a proper kiss.
Several more followed.
When they finally broke apart, Quentin was hard, panting, and ready to call off his errands.
“You still have class,” Jaks unhelpfully pointed out.
“Spoilsport.”
“I think it would be more of a disappointment if the school called us in the middle of sex.”
