“Want to go for a run? I want to test my night vision against how my wolf vision was. Is. Was and is, who knows? Anyway, can we do that?”
“You bet we can.” They kissed for a few minutes. “Dalziel will insist on coming along. He’s a very responsible sire, and you are a brand new baby vampire. So we won’t be slipping away for a quick fuck on this run, just so you know.”
Gethin narrowed his eyes. “I suppose I can keep my hands off you for an hour or so.”
36
SORLEY
“What d’you mean,you’re sending Edwin too? My damned apartment will be full to bursting. What the hell, Dalziel?”
Dalziel pinned him with a flat stare. “Gethin is a new vampire. He’s been remarkably stable so far, but we can’t guarantee he won’t have a blip or a freak-out of some kind. I admit it seems unlikely, but I’m not taking any chances with you, or him. Edwin is your brother. He knows you well, is strong, able to work without getting emotional, and is also a phenomenal tracker, as you know. He can only be an asset to you. Plus, he seems unbothered by Marlowe’s scent. You can make room for them both in your basement.”
“Fuck’s sake.” But the set of his sire’s jaw and the unrelenting expression in his eyes told Sorley he would be wasting his breath to argue.
“Edwin will travel with Marlowe, who came by car. Edwin and he can share the driving seeing as Marlowe is unfamiliar with Leeds. Alexander will travel with you and Gethin.”
Sorley’s mouth dropped open. “The actual fuck? I adore Alec, but I’m not running a taxi service for solitary vampires, Dalziel. Has it escaped your notice I’m sort of—” He lowered his voice. “—on my honeymoon right now?”
Dalziel looked unimpressed. “You appear to have forgotten the entire reason we had an extraordinary Council meeting in the first place,” he said in a manner that suggested Sorley had better hurry up and refresh his memory. “It would be unkind to place him in a vehicle with Marlowe. Besides,” he said silkily, “you have been at pains to impress upon me just how good a friend Alexander is to you, what a great vampire, and how accepting. He can hardly complain when your wolf lover is now a vampire, can he?” He clasped Sorley around his biceps, a paternal gesture that Sorley usually loved. “He can sleep on your perfectly comfortable sofa. It will hopefully not be for long.” He tightened his grip on Sorley. “I need you safe. You will have all the help I can throw at this fucking disaster until the culprits are caught and punished. I willnothave you harmed again.” His throat clicked. “Or worse. Do not fight me on this, Sorley.”
Dalziel wasn’t finished with him, or rather, with micromanaging their departure. Before they left, he demanded Gethin shift so he would know if there were any problems none of them could have foreseen. Gethin, looking highly irritated and, Sorley thought, possibly a little anxious too, grumbled about being treated like a performing animal, but under the weight of Dalziel’s formidable glare which showed every sign of crossing into thrall, he huffed loudly and said he would shift in private.
“Which means our bedroom,” he said pointedly when Dalziel looked ready to insist. “I’ll come down when I’m ready.” His glower was the most alpha-ish posturing Sorley had seen on him, and he admitted — if only to himself — that it got himveryhot.
He watched as Gethin undressed. “You’re not a natural follower, are you? I thought you were about to combust when Dalziel ordered you to shift.” He allowed his gaze to drift lazily and with great appreciation over every inch of skin Gethin revealed. He really did have amazingly good taste in men.
Gethin flicked him a quick tight smile. “I understand he’s my sire and all that, but he’ll have to learn he can’t lay down commands like that to my wolf. I could literally feel him snarling when Dalziel tried his mind fuckery on me back there.” He placed his jeans on the chair and his demeanour softened. “When I can speak without feeling like I want to rip his head off, I’ll have a word about the need to tread carefully. He might be able to successfully steer my vampire side, but it could be a suicide mission if he attempts to control my wolf.”
He flexed his shoulders. Sorley wanted nothing more than to sink to his knees and worship his…mate,his inner voice supplied helpfully. Brought up short by the inescapable realisation that this was indeed the truth, his knees locked instead of bending, and he managed a tremulous smile.
“You’ve never shifted in front of me before,” he said. “This feels somehow momentous.”
“My wolf is desperate to get out,” Gethin confessed. “I know I was out the other night with Justin but somehow it feels like it’s been too long between shifts. Maybe it’s my wolf wanting to show my vampire side who’s boss.” He grimaced. “That could be awkward.” He paused. “Or fun.” He looped his arms around Sorley’s waist and kissed him. “I didn’t shift in front of you because I think I was a bit shy about showing him to you that way. I felt…”
“You felt I looked down on you because of all the shit I’ve talked about shifters?” He felt even worse when Gethin nodded. “I’m so sorry. I have no excuse. I’m a bigmouth with a bad attitude, but all you’ve done since you met me is look out for me, and then…” he gulped, “…love me. I’m a terrible boyfriend.” He dropped his head into the comforting cradle of Gethin’s chest and heaved a sigh. “Can you ever forgive me?”
“I became a different species for you, dummy. Of course I forgive you. Your runaway mouth takes a bit of getting used to, but I’m optimistic there’s a very decent person behind the pretty face and the sarcasm. Besides,” he tilted Sorley’s face up for another kiss, longer this time, “I have it on good authority you’ve been promoted from ‘boyfriend’ to something much better.” One last lingering kiss. “Now, let me satisfy his lord and master downstairs I’m not about to go rogue in fur, then we can pack so we’re ready to leave at sunset.”
He stretched out on the bed. “You‘ll have to open the door for me.”
Sorley stepped back, slightly nervous. He knew there was no need, but still, he felt showing a bit of respect would be the right thing to do. Gethin seemed to sink into the covers as if he’d deliberately relaxed his entire skeleton, then his body stiffened from head to toe. Sorley knew his eyesight was perfect — as a vampire it was all it could be — but he still had to fight a compulsion to rub his eyes as the man in front of him shimmered like a mirage. Bones cracked and fur sprouted, but Gethin didn’t make a sound beyond a muffled groan. Seconds later his massive dark wolf jumped off the bed, shook himself and trotted to the door.
“Bloody hell,” Sorley breathed. “That’s really amazing to witness. I’ve seen wolves shift before, ages ago, but never close up like this.” He leaned over and sank his fingers into the thick fur on the wolf’s,Gethin’s,neck. “You’re incredible. I feel mildly embarrassed about my so-called supernatural abilities now.”
Gethin shook his head, then nosed and pawed at the door. “Right, I see. Still bossy even when you can’t speak.” But Sorley’s heart was light as they headed downstairs to find Dalziel.
With Dalziel as pacified as possible considering the unusual circumstances, they returned to Sorley’s room. Sorley asked Gethin not to shift back immediately.
“Can we just sit here for a bit?” he asked, patting the bed and wondering if he was somehow being inappropriate to ask this of his partner when he was in fur. But then he didn’t think it would be kind to allow Gethin to shift and then instantly shift back again; that would probably be exhausting.
Gethin eyed him for a second, then jumped up to sit on the end of the bed, his head tilted in an obvious question. Sorley smiled at him. Man or wolf, he really was fucking gorgeous.
“I don’t know if you, umm, snuggle?” he said finally. “Or is that too weird?” He stared at the duvet cover. “I’m sorry, I never really bothered to learn anything about wolves as I thought—” He broke off, feeling ashamed.
A damp nose attached to a furry snout shoved into his space. Gethin licked his hand, then when he had Sorley’s attention, his face. Sorley gurgled as something like pure joy spread through him at the gesture. “That tickles.”
They arranged themselves so they were entangled, pale limbs and dark fur blended like one fantastical being comprised of light and dark and all the shades in between. Sorley thought Gethin was one of the very best people he knew, had ever known, so the idea the shifter might now be damned didn’t sit right with him. He lay there in the quiet, his mind trying to find a place where he could accept thatperhapsfor him, Sorley, there was more to existence than he’d dared hope for. Maybe he’d be wrong, and his conviction about having no soul had been more an indication of his mental state than any concrete proof. He snorted softly. Like there could everbeany proof — once a vampire ceased to exist, there was no coming back. It wasn’t like you could attach defibrillator leads to a smoking pile of ash in the hope of a miraculous return from certain death.
