Meridian angled the open cigarette case toward Valor in a silent offering, and his partner took one.
Meridian flipped open his dragon-head lighter and touched the twin flames to the chocolate tips.
Smoke filtered upward, sweet cedar and nutmeg overwhelming the air.
Zorion narrowed his eyes at Valor as he wrapped his lips around the gold filter and took a deep inhale.
The sight of the slow dip of his Adam’s apple went straight to his cock as he filed the image under later and turned back to business.
“How’d the mission go?” he asked.
Meridian let the smoke veil his mouth before he answered. “We got what we wanted.”
Ex grinned. “It was fun.”
“Did the guy scream?” Zorion asked.
Ex shook his head. “Nah. He cried, begged, and bargained though. But the funniest part is he was butt-ass naked and cupping his small-ass dick the whole time. By killing him, I think we saved him from a lifetime of inadequate performance in the bedroom.”
Zorion laughed. Those two had an interesting way of justifying murder.
Ex stretched his hands high over his head and yawned. “Where’s Grace and Mirage?”
“In their quarters,” Valor answered around a long pull. “Grace has the top two floors smelling like garlic and shrimp, or crab, or whatever crustacean died to end up on his plate.”
Zorion laughed. The predatory cat DNA in his partner preferred red meat over seafood.
Ex perked up, shoving his hood back. “Grace made scampi?”
Zorion hummed. “Sure did.”
“I’m making a pit stop. I’m starving,” Ex told Meridian.
“Good luck,” Zorion said. “Grace wouldn’t let me in, no matter how hard I banged on the door.”
“Well, he’s sure as fuck going to let me in,” Ex said, turning to leave.
Meridian grunted in agreement. “Make me a to-go plate,” he said, rolling the cigarette from one corner of his mouth to the other. “I’m going up to take a shower.”
He placed his mouth against Ex’s ear, his voice rough and smooth as velvet at the same time.
“Don’t take long,” he whispered. “I wouldn’t mind some company.”
Valor groaned.
“You do know we can hear you, right?” Zorion asked, pointing between his and Valor’s ears. “Hawk. Puma. Remember?”
“It’d be a problem if I cared,” Meridian droned, walking away.
A guard opened the access door, keeping his gaze to the ground.
Ex watched Meridian go, a bulge already tenting the front of his cargos. He made a face at Zorion, half suffering, half excited. “He’s always ravenous after killing.”
“TMI,” Valor said.
Ex threw his hood back up and gave a half-hearted salute as a goodbye.
Valor kept smoking, gaze on the skyline. Zorion watched the tobacco glow bright in the darkness with each exhale.
