“You can think while sitting down.” Ant placed the white shirt in the bag beside the navy one, then reached for a pale gray option. “Or standing still, or even when you’re packing your own change of clothes.”
“I think better when I move.”
Ant glanced up. Viktor’s jaw was set in a hard line, his shoulders rigid beneath his black T-shirt.He’s reverting.Ant recognized the signs from when they first met. When Viktor became stressed, he fell back into the habits he’d developed when he’d spent so many years alone. Viktor had told him how he’d never trusted anyone or anything for most of his life, and right now he was doing a good impression of someone caught in a trap.
Ant set down the gray shirt and turned to face his mate fully. “Will you please come here?”
Viktor crossed the room immediately, stopping just within arm’s reach. He was close enough to touch, but he seemed to think that Ant needed distance, which was the wrong assumption. Moving into his personal space, Ant rested his hands on Viktor’s shoulders. He could sense Viktor’s heartbeat pick up – the way it usually did when they were physically close to each other.
“You’re spiraling into old habits, which I’m sure isn’t good for you,” Ant said quietly.
“I’m trying to think through a stupid plan logically.” Viktor’s voice came out rougher than usual. “I’m learning that when you’re determined to do something, you’ll see it through to the end because that’s who you are. But I worry that you don’t listen to me. Claudius is just as determined as you are, and worse, he’s dangerous, babe. Not just powerful -olddangerous. The kind of snake that plans centuries ahead and treats people like chess pieces. If you thought Carmine or Tony was bad, Claudius is a hundred times worse.”
“So you keep telling me.” Ant kept his hands steady, reading the chaotic swirl of Viktor’s emotions. His mate was protective, yes, but then Viktor always was. But underneath that were feelings that went a lot deeper.Fear? Surely not…but then Ant realized Viktor wasn’t fearful for himself, he was worried about Ant. “You’re afraid he’ll hurt me.”
“Hewillhurt you, and I’m not sure I can stop him.” Viktor’s hands came up to grip Ant’s wrists, gentle despite his obvious agitation. “Maybe not physically - he’s too smart for that with the Justiciary watching - but he’ll find ways. He’s a master of psychological games and power plays, and yes, I’m fucking worried he’ll force you into situations designed to humiliate or break you.”
“Then it’s fortunate I don’t break easily.”
“Ant…”
“Viktor.” Ant maintained eye contact. “I have heard you the first three times we’ve had this conversation already. Now I need you to listen to me. Can you do that? Please.”
Some of the tension bled from Viktor’s shoulders. “If I have to.”
“Good enough.” Ant pressed his palms more firmly against Viktor’s shoulders. “I understand that returning to Claudius’s estate triggers memories of how you were treated when you belonged to his coven. I understand that your protective instincts are heightened because you view this as my entering a hostile environment where you were once powerless. These are reasonable emotional responses.”
Viktor’s jaw tightened. “But? I just know there’s a but coming.”
“But you aren’t the vampire you were all those years ago.” Ant kept his voice steady, willing Viktor to see what he saw. “You left that coven. You built your own life. You’re not powerless, and neither am I. We are walking in there as equals to Claudius in all the ways that matter - legally, magically, and in terms of sheer threat potential.”
“I just…” Viktor broke off, his grip on Ant’s wrists tightening fractionally before he forced himself to relax. “I can’t stand the thought of him looking at you the way I’ve seen him view other mages - like you’re atoolor afool.He doesn’t respect anyone,and I don’t want to see him treating you the way I’ve seen him treat others.”
“You can’t let him see that it bothers you.” Ant tilted his head slightly. “From what you tell me, Claudius will probe for weaknesses. If he believes that he can upset you by demeaning me, he’ll do so repeatedly because it serves his goal of maintaining psychological dominance. The most effective strategy is to deny him that satisfaction.”
Viktor stared at him for a long moment, then exhaled roughly and pulled Ant against his chest. “When did you get so good at talking me down from panic spirals? Panic spirals I never had, incidentally, until you told me where our latest case was.”
“I probably read a paper on it once.” Ant relaxed into the hold, turning his head to rest his ear against Viktor’s chest. His heartbeat had already begun to slow. “I’m simply applying principles I’d been taught to use when dealing with unsafe or unpleasant situations. It’s a mix of physical grounding techniques combined with logical reassurance.”
“It’s working.” Viktor pressed his face into Ant’s hair. “You’re too damn good at this.”
“You’ve done the same for me in the past.”
They stood like that for several minutes, Viktor’s breathing gradually evening out as Ant’s steady presence worked its way through his anxiety. Finally, Viktor pressed a kiss to the top of Ant’s head and stepped back.
“Okay.” He rolled his shoulders, shaking off the last of his tension. “You’re right. I’m being far too emotional about this. We go in, you do the reading, we get out. Simple.”
“Exactly.” Ant returned to his packing, selecting a charcoal gray shirt instead of the pale gray one, and then, looking in his bag, decided he had more than enough shirts for any eventuality. “IfClaudius attempts any psychological manipulation, I’ll simply stare at him until he becomes uncomfortable and changes the subject.”
Viktor chuckled. “Has that ever actually worked?”
“Frequently. People find sustained eye contact unnerving when they’re accustomed to others looking away in submission.” Ant put the shirt back in his closet. “Bridget says I have an ‘unsettling academic stare.’ I’ve found it quite useful.”
“I bet you have.” Viktor moved to the dresser and began pulling out his own clothes for the trip - all black, which wasn’t a coincidence. Viktor’s entire wardrobe was full of black clothes, right down to his running shorts.
They were only expected to stay a night or two, so packing didn’t take long. Viktor had grumbled about that as well, not understanding why they needed to stay at the coven at all. But Ant explained that he wasn’t only doing a scene reading, he was conducting a Justiciary investigation, and Claudius – for now – was presumed innocent of any wrongdoing. Besides, the coven leader had invited them to stay, and the Justiciary felt it would be rude for Ant to refuse. And yes, Viktor had a few choice words to say about that as well.
Ant made sure to include Able’s necessities in a separate bag, including food and water. He wasn’t going to assume that vampires would even consider a dog needed sustenance if they viewed humans and other paranormals as already being so low on the food chain.
