“Thank you.”
That night, Scott held his mate and watched him as he slept—hoping it was just a bad dream and nothing else. He wasn’t sure why he was more concerned than normal.
Maybe Loki got to me more than I care to admit.
He was going to have to trust Quintus’s word on how he was feeling.
* * *
The days that followed,Quintus and Scott slipped back into their routines of work, nightly spankings, training, and connecting with each other. Scott was grateful when Quintus didn’t have any more weird or scary dreams.
Their lovemaking grew more passionate as they deepened their connection and mating bond to each other. They had been going over a few ideas for the house when Quintus told him about the smell.
“What smell?” Scott asked.
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Quintus told him. “I smelled it the first time I went to the house but not the second time I went back. But the other day, it was thick like a fog.”
“That’s strange,” Scott said. That’s when he remembered Fenrir commenting about a bad smell.
* * *
After their talk,Scott had decided to investigate the place for himself.
Pulling up to the house, Scott sat in his car for a few minutes and admired the view. Even in its rundown state, it was still magnificent. He could imagine a future living in the house with his mate and their many little cheetah-demigod-vampire kids running around the front or backyard.
He still needed to ask Quintus to officially move in with him—that was the next step.
Maybe when we go over more details on the house, I can ask him what he wants added or changed?
Smiling, Scott opened the car door and then shut it quickly. The pungent, stale scent of rotting flesh that had greeted Scott had him gagging for breath.
Fuck, what the hell is that smell? How the fuck didn’t I smell this before? Could there be an evil spirit infesting the house?
Scott used his empath ability to try and lock in on what could be causing the smell. He sighed in disappointment when he didn’t feel anything coming back at him. It was also hard to concentrate with the scent trapped in the car with him. Starting his car, he backed out of the driveway and tried to think of someone who would be able to help him pinpoint what the fuck was happening to his house.
Maybe one of the witches or shaman could help me out?
Scott headed back into town, adding it to his to-do list. He was still trying to find Fenrir’s wolf but wasn’t having any luck. His last recourse was to ask Chance if he knew any new wolves that had entered Vale Valley a few weeks earlier. It was a good thing he was having lunch with his friend, so they could discuss opening their club and playing for the Fourth of July extravaganza.
* * *
“So,”Chance said, looking at Scott from across the table. They were meeting at the Cafe Corner and had just finished eating.
“So what?” Scott asked, confused.
“I saw Quintus the other day. Nice collar,” Chance said to him. “I remember when you had it made.”
Scott rolled his eyes at his friend’s not so subtle statement. “If you wanted to ask me if Quintus was my sub, why not just come out with it?”
“Is that all he is…your sub?”
“No. He’s my mate, too,” Scott answered, not removing the sloppy grin off his face.
“Well, I’ll be damned. The lonely vampire has found his mate. Congratulations, man.”
“Thanks.”
“But I have to say, I never saw Quintus as the subby type.”
