Page 39 of Only You, No One Else

Caster nodded even as his face moved closer, his body pushing Mark further into the bed.

Mark had never thought about it. “I don’t know.” He doubted he would be anything but honest with Caster. Before everything with the witch and Zeke, he hadn’t even considered it. Now he wasn’t sure about it, about anything. The only thing he was certain of was a future with Caster.

Caster stared at him for a long moment, as if seeing him for the first time. He closed the tiny distance between them with deliberate intent, and Mark opened himself up, bracing for an assault that didn’t come. When their lips touched, the kiss was gentle, so gentle he lost his breath in the next second. Caster’s tongue didn’t invade; it sought his permission, begging for a love Mark was only too willing to give. There was no urgency, no rush towards pleasure. The kiss was all they needed.

When he relented, it was clear they had added a new layer to the foundation of what would be the rest of their lives together.

We have an eternity to discuss it. Caster’s words, a whisper through his unguarded mind only added to the intensity of the tender moment.

Caster tried to move off his body, but Mark was not ready to lose this closeness. He pulled him closer, and Caster released a breath and settled on top of him. The rest of the world would impose on them soon, but he intended to soak up this love as long as he could before it did.

CHAPTER 25

Even now, as he couldn’t help but stare at Mark from across the large table in his parents’ formal dining room, Caster was struck by his sudden and total lack of objection when Mark had brought up the subject of children. He glanced at his mother, knowing how much that would please her, but also knowing they were nowhere near ready for that discussion. As Mark’s unguarded mind had communicated, he wasn’t sure of much, except that he wanted a future with Mark more than he wanted anything else.

In their voluntary desire to please his mother, everyone had been on time, even though most of them didn’t care for the formality of it. The Queen had forbidden discussion of the threat the witch posed at the table, and as everyone laughed at the unbelievable story of Xavier and Cy’s latest adventure, Caster saw the wisdom in it. Tomorrow, or whenever Zeke saw fit to attack Mark again, there would be enough time to deal with the threat. Right now, they needed to reinforce the bonds that brought them together.

Both his brothers had demonstrated their unwavering support by dropping everything to be here. But it was Damien and Riley that he knew he would need soon. Marcus’s support was as sure as his breath, and as he looked around the table, Caster felt safe enough to bask in Mark’s smile. Mikey’s presence and Dean’s promise to attend the meeting Marcus had scheduled for tomorrow further reinforced the promise that the treaty would hold.

The only complaint he had was that Mark was sitting too far away. His mother had shrugged when he’d questioned the seating arrangement, saying his father had wanted Mark close to him. It was impossible to miss the familiarity that had grown between the two most important men in his life. Mark didn’t shrink from his father’s imposing stature; he seemed to revel in it.

“It seems your father has a new favorite.” His mother’s voice was a gentle whisper meant for his ears alone. But it still rose over the boisterous conversation around the table, Cy’s loud rendition of a story he’d told before retreating to a distant hum.

Her gaze was on Mark, a warm smile softening her features even more.

“I really should have seen it.” Her soft tone stayed low. “They are alike.”

Caster frowned. “No…”

“He softens him, the same way he softens you.”

Caster wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but he shrugged. His mother had a knack for seeing things everyone else missed. “I want him to stay here. Stay safe.”

Her laugh was soft. “You think you can convince him to stay out of the coming fight?”

He would tie him up if he could.

“Don’t try.”

How did she… He checked that he hadn’t lost control of the mental barrier keeping her out of his head. No. It was still there.

“I know what you’re thinking.” There was renewed earnestness in her still soft tone. “You can’t take that away from him. It is the only way for him to get closure.”

Caster resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew that. He just hoped he could deny it a little longer. Mark had proven himself in battle more than once. Their sparring session a few hours earlier was clear evidence he was not to be trifled with, not when he was at full strength. Still, Caster couldn’t help the tightening in his chest every time he pictured the danger that was on its way. The immense danger the joyous discussions around the table chose to deny.

He jumped when his mother reached for his hand, an action his brother noticed. She squeezed his hand. “Trust that good will win over evil. It always does, and…” She nodded towards Mark, who laughed at something his younger brother was saying. “…enjoy this moment. These are the moments we’re fighting for.”

Something wrong? Cy’s voice infiltrated his mind as he resolved to find a way to follow his mother’s direction.

No.

You sure? Your frown is too loud. Even Ben noticed. The tone was loaded with the same mocking mischief that made his brother both maddening and charming, but Cy’s face remained impassive, his attention on their younger brother Ben, who peppered him with questions of all the exotic stuff he’d seen and done in his travels.

Caster resolved to ignore his brother, knowing any response would fan the flames. But he could admit he’d missed Cy. Like their mother, his sunny optimism was never too far away. Behind it lay the heart of a warrior, one Caster would need if he was going to keep Zeke away from Mark. With his mind clouded by the threat to his soulmate, he would need Cy and Damien to see the bigger picture. Zeke’s new abilities posed a threat to all vampire-kind, and he couldn’t lose sight of that.

***

“Have you spoken with Dean today?” Mark asked Mikey. He looked good, happy, and some of the guilt he carried after seeing his brother before the dinner eased. He’d been so lost, first in the dread that Zeke’s attack had brought and in the comfort that Caster and his family offered, that he’d forgotten all about his brother.