“Whatever,” Zack grumbled. He brought the package over to the bed and sat down. The box sat between them. “I also saw where this is from.”
Roger glanced at the sender. His favorite leather shop in Chicago had remained open through the decades, and he’d been able to order a custom set of collars for Zack and another set for his dedicated donor, a shifter named Kit.
“Excellent,” Roger said.
Zack bristled.
Gracefully, Roger slid off the end of the bed and went over to the desk. He took his time finding the letter opener, drawing out his movements in the slow, smooth way he’d practiced when he was a fledgling. Slick, enticing movements weren’t an automatic part of the vampire package. Roger had put incredible effort into training his body to be like this.
And as he turned back to the bed and crossed the room, he noticed that Zack’s breathing had evened out, the wall in his eyes was crumbling. Roger grinned at him as he opened the package. Inside were seven thinner boxes, shaped like necklace boxes, though a little thicker than a jewelry box would be.
“I seem to remember you becoming flustered when I mentioned having sex dungeons,” Roger said. He drew out one of the necklace boxes labeled “Z, onyx” and opened it. “I’m surprised you hate the idea of the collars so much.”
“If we were messing around with them in the bedroom, I might be okay with it,” Zack said.
“Might be?” Roger raised an eyebrow.
Zack squirmed, and he suddenly wasn’t meeting Roger’s gaze. That wasn’t unusual when they started discussing anything sexual. Zack had a hesitance in him. As close as they’d gotten, he still shied away from talking about what he wanted.
Roger reached under Zack’s chin and tilted his head back up so their gazes met. “We have to be convincing in public.”
Zack’s gaze hardened. “Iknow.”
“Do you know how I usually claim my pets?”
“You put a collar on them and fuck them senseless?”
Roger glared a fraction, and Zack had the decency to look embarrassed about what he’d said. After this long together, Roger would have figured Zack knew him better. He had spent two weeks waiting on Zack hand and foot, something even Zack had said was excessive. “I take them to dinner. We spend the night talking about limits. Only then do I take them home and have them prove themselves worthy of wearing my collar.”
“I am not yourpet,” Zack said fiercely.
“But you aremine,” Roger replied.
A warmth spread up through Zack, but a dull buzz countered the brush of lust that Roger felt. Zack had a hunter’s tattoo on his hip, which helped negate mind-controlling magic like a vampire’s ability to affect fear or desire. However, it wasn’t one hundred percent, and Roger had spent enough time with Zack to know where the gaps in the defenses were. If he and Zack had the relationship Roger had had with other pets, he would use his powers to coax Zack’s lust upward to make him more amenable. Arguments were taxing, and Roger hated when he fumbled. And he seemed to inevitably misstep with Zack.
Yet that would betray Zack’s trust, and Roger wouldn’t do that to him. Roger would have to try the old-fashioned way to seduce him.
“Perhaps I should actually claim you.” Roger grinned and dipped his voice to a husky whisper. “We could make a game ofit. I’m the big bad evil vampire, and you’re the innocent youth I’ve invited to my castle in the mountains.”
Zack pushed away Roger’s hand and stood. “You want to playDracula? Seriously?”
“I thought it might help you blow off some steam,” Roger said.
“By being a victim?”
“Then we forget the claiming and reverse the roles.” Roger sat on the edge of the bed and leaned back, propping himself up with one arm. Once the words were in the air, an electrical buzzing started in the back of Roger’s mind. Though he didn’t mind occasionally bottoming, the only one he’d ever been truly submissive with was Seamus. The roleplay he’d suggested to Zack didn’t have to include such dramatic lines of dominance, but it was possible.
He hadn’t meant to casually offer Zack the opportunity to dominate him. While they’d had sex more than a few times over the last few weeks, Roger was the top between them. What would Zack do if he took charge? Did Roger really want him to? He wasn’t about to back out from engaging in some fun, but the nagging buzz in his psyche waited to pounce on every mistake.
For his part, Zack only stood at the end of the bed. He crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re off again.”
“I’m fine,” Roger insisted. If he was ever going to lead the GLC, he would need to learn how to operate while under such clear scrutiny. Seamus only saw what he wanted to see, and Roger had grown accustomed to displaying the personas that pleased him.
But Zack saw through every one of those masks in a heartbeat. Roger couldn’t help wondering if everyone else did as well and they were only too polite to say anything.You know that isn’t true. Seamus wouldn’t tolerate you if you hadn’t perfected lying to his face.
Roger would simply need to prove to Zack that he had nothing to worry about.
Languidly, Roger rolled up from the bed and onto his feet. He was chest to chest with Zack, and he stroked his cheek. Zack was always so warm. A flicker of the hunger deep in Roger sought that heat like a moth, but he could keep it at bay for the time being. He tilted Zack’s chin up and gazed deep into his steel-gray eyes. Zack was searching for something in him, so Roger held steady. The best way to avoid detection was to simply wait.
