Jaks’s laughter drew more than a few appreciative stares.“Vlad was the least sexual vampire I’ve ever met.He talked a good game, but I never saw him with anyone.”
“And they weren’t related?”
“Not that I am aware of.You really think there’s something wrong?Something more than jealousy?”
He shrugged.“At first, I thought I only didn’t like him because he’s dating my mother and I’m used to being her only love.”
“That’s natural, especially for an only child.”
Quentin nodded.“Maybe, but the more I’m around him, the more I think it’s something else.I have an itch in the back of my mind like I missed some clues for why I don’t like him.It’s driving me mad.”
“As long as he hasn’t acted out, there’s not much I can do.I’ll continue to have him guard you because if anyone can stop him from acting out, it’ll be you.”
“So, I’m the babysitter of my babysitter?’Quentin raised an eyebrow at his ridiculous boyfriend.
“For now.Unless you don’t want to?”
He appreciated that Jaks gave him a choice.“No, I’ll do it.If he’s going to be my mother’s boyfriend, I need to know he’s not going to harm her.”
“Or you,” Jaks insisted.
“Or me,” he agreed.
Quentin bit his lip, then blurted out his confession.He couldn’t keep it to himself any longer.“I called Stacy and asked her to have someone investigate Glenn’s sire.The council might be all right with it, but technically, Nikko broke the law when he attacked Glenn, then left him.Glenn could’ve killed a lot of people when he first woke.”
Jaks smirked.“Well, there’s nothing I can do about humans investigating.Especially if I didn’t call them.”
Quentin frowned.“It won’t be a problem that I did?”
“You told a friend of yours about Glenn’s unsanctioned turning.Is it your fault if they happen to be bounty hunters?”
“Right.It is completely a coincidence.”He nodded.“Technically, I didn’t pay them anything or hire them.”
“How did you get them to agree to look into it?”
“I might have promised they could test my next generation of spell balls, but I was going to ask them to do that anyway.”Quentin shrugged.“Completely not related.”
“Good.Keep it that way, and the council can’t call us on it.They will probably admire your sneakiness.”
A burst of laughter escaped Quentin.“That’s me, Sneaky Q.”
“Better not let Glenn hear you say that.He’d make it your new nickname.”
“He probably would,” Quentin agreed.Glenn loved to tease.“Do you think the council will object since I work for the agency?”
“Worked, for them, darling.They don’t currently employ you.”Jaks raised their linked fingers to kiss the back of Quentin’s hand.“Right now, you are an independent inventor and part-time professor.You don’t have time for any bounty hunter nonsense.”
“Unless they kick me out again.Then I’ll have plenty of time.”He didn’t really want to bounty hunt.It had been a desperate employment choice to pay his mother’s medical bills, but he didn’t want to give Jaks the impression that he could be pushed around.He loved Jaks, but he wouldn’t be controlled, even if it was for his own good.
“Humor me, my sweet.Let’s deal with one thing at a time.”
“You want to keep me in a shiny cage, preferably surrounded by bubble wrap,” he groused.
Jaks sniffed, swinging their hands between them.“You make it sound as if I’m being unreasonable.You’d be adorable in bubble wrap.Just think of all that popping.”
Quentin snorted.“I don’t think you’d have the patience if I were naked under there.”He jabbed a finger at Jaks with his free hand.“Don’t get any ideas.”
Jaks’s lower lip jutted out.“Spoilsport.I was imagining unwrapping you.”
