“I bet you were.”
They collected Glenn from his spot by the tree.He didn’t appear as if he’d moved since he planted himself there two hours ago.
“Good book?”Quentin asked.
Glenn nodded rapidly, his hair flying about.“Really good.It’s about a serial killer who pretends to be a vampire to throw off the police.”
“Sounds delightful,” Quentin said in a deadpan tone.
“It is.”Glenn’s cheery voice was at odds with the subject matter.He frowned at Jaks.“When did we have a change of guards?”
Jaks raised an eyebrow at Glenn.“An hour ago.I thought Braed would’ve told you when he left.”
“Nope.”Glenn tucked the book under his arm.“Are we going back home?”
Jaks looked to Quentin for confirmation.“Are we?”
He thought over everything he had to do before nodding.“The only thing left on my to-do list is contacting Lars to see if he has any ideas about my new spell balls, unless you want to negotiate with Nikko to leave my house alone.”He had no wish to kill off the other vampire, but he did want him to stop visiting.
“Vampires don’t negotiate,” Jaks argued.
“Well, not with that attitude,” Quentin agreed.
“You aren’t going into the forest with a white flag and a wish.”
“I would think of a better idea,” Quentin protested.He didn’t argue too hard because he wouldn’t trust a vampire like Nikko not to kill anyone who entered his forest.
Jaks opened the car door for Quentin to slide inside.“How about we get you some ice cream on the way home?”
“Which home?”
“Mine.With all the enemies circling, I want you where I can keep an eye on you.”
“I’d be safe at my house.”Quentin folded his arms and tilted his chin up.
Jaks sat in the seat beside Quentin and slammed the car door shut, the only indication of his annoyance.“I know that intellectually, my love, but emotionally, I want you closer, and I have some work to finish up.I would appreciate it if you would go with me to the manor.If you want to be taken to your house later, I’d be happy to go with you.”
“All right,” he said after making Jaks sweat for a few minutes.He didn’t want his vampire to get in the habit of making plans for him.
Relief washed over Jaks’s features as if a curtain had been swept aside to reveal the worry hidden beneath.“Thank you.”
Quentin dipped his head.“I know you’re worried.I don’t want to add to your stress with everything going on.”
“I appreciate that.”
The kiss he gave Quentin more than showed Jaks’s appreciation.When they finally separated, he knew he was grinning like a fool; he just couldn’t make himself care.
“I have a few hours of work left at the manor.Would you like to come to my office with me or work down in your lab while I finish up some paperwork?”
“My lab.At least I’ll feel like I’m getting something done instead of just waiting around uselessly.”It was a solid compromise.
Jaks kissed his cheek.“You are never useless.Just looking at you brightens my day.”
Shoving Jaks away didn’t stop his blush.
The drive to the manor was spent in a much better atmosphere than the one on the way out.
He had only been at his lab for an hour before the door opened and his father entered, followed by a large man with bulging muscles and a wicked scar bisecting his left eyebrow.He looked like he’d never smiled a day in his life and ate nails and barbed wire for breakfast.He was dressed in a pair of well-worn jeans, a tight T-shirt, and a leather jacket that partially hid his weapons.A leather satchel hung from his left shoulder.Quentin didn’t dare wonder what a real bounty hunter would hide in one.
