Page 4

Yes, that was the plan, Dante could only hope that eventually he wouldn’t have to go searching for a boy. He’d love to have a partner by his side as they ruled over his territory. Someone that Dante could trust his darkest secrets with, the worries for his clan, and the trouble that always seemed to be just around the corner.

He turned and strode through the open sliding glass door with Nicholas closing them as Dante continued through his five-room suite.

Nicholas rushed to open the door for him. Dante took the stairs down the five floors to the front entry, mentally preparing for the night ahead. Crimson Crown, the club that they were headed to, was only one of Dante’s many businesses in the city. He didn’t visit as often as he had done in his younger days. At nearly six hundred years old, Dante was tired. Worn out from all the responsibilities that came with leading his large clan.

It wasn’t that Dante didn’t enjoy the power and money that he had at his fingertips. It was nice being the man that ran things behind the scenes of the city. Dante just wished for that special boy that would stand by his side. Help him. Be the person that Dante could devote himself to. Allow Dante to focus on when he needed to forget about everything else.

“Boss.” Nicholas stood holding open the front door of the house when Dante reached the main level, wearing a big smirk. Sneaky man either took the elevator or the back stairs.

Beside the door, Dante’s security team was already in position. He nodded and the team moved. Straightening the lapels of his suit jacket, Dante strode across the massive marble and granite lobby. While his private floor was more comfortable with the luxuries that Dante favored, first impressions mattered to his people, so the main floor dripped in expense. It was expected of him.

Three black SUVs idled in front of the house, waiting on him.

Taking a moment to pause, Dante used his senses to see if he could pick out anything or anyone around. His house was never left unprotected but that didn’t mean that Dante was lax about his security. Or protecting what was his.

Nothing.

Even though Dante knew that he was somehow being watched, he couldn’t sense anything in particular. It was just a feeling.

He nodded as his driver, Seth, opened the back passenger door of the middle vehicle, allowing Dante to slide onto the leather seat and settle back. Nicholas climbed in on the other side. Yulian, Dante’s head of security, in the front passenger seat as the driver returned behind the wheel.

They were on the way to the club across town closer to the docks a moment later.

2

Carver

Opening the door from the bathroom, Carver strode down the hall, first passing the office, then quickly backtracking. Owen was behind the computer, clicking through video feeds before peering up at Carver’s entrance.

“You look good,” Owen said with a grin.

Bringing his thumb up to his mouth, Carver chewed on the skin around the nailbed. “I’ve watched him. I know the types of boys that Dante is attracted to.”

“He’s going to fall all over himself to claim you,” Owen agreed.

That was the plan. No one else should put themselves at risk for this. Carver’s life was already changed. Whether he liked it or not, Carver was the safest to be around the bloodsuckers.

Slowly, Owen rose. “Do you need to feed before you go?”

Carver took several steps back. “No!”

“Carver,” Owen said quietly, carefully. “You can’t keep starving yourself.”

“I’m not,” Carver insisted. The lie bitter on his lips.

“Carver—” Owen reached for him but Carver was already shaking his head. The plan. All that mattered was taking out the monsters. Carver’s monster. Owen’s. And Kenny’s. They’d found one another for a reason. Each one of them with a scar from that night five years ago.

It was just that Carver’s scars ran deeper than most. Not only was it obvious by the marks left behind but the fact that Carver wasn’t human any longer. Carver was changed. Ruined. Destined to walk the streets at night and never feel the sun on his face again.

Alone, scared, bleeding, and desperate for answers, Carver had done his own experiments, learning more about monsters than he had ever wanted to know.

Garlic? That was a bullshit myth along with vampires not having a reflection or not breathing. Carver didn’t know if he was undead truly or not. Just that he couldn’t face the sunlight. Needed blood to survive. And had fucking fangs growing inside his mouth.

“Hey!” Kenny said brightly. He entered through the door opposite the one Carver was backing toward. “I made something!”

Carver cut his eyes to his other best friend, grateful for the interruption. Kenny could always be depended on for not having a clue what was going on outside of whatever he was building. Owen wouldn’t press the issue of Carver feeding in front of Kenny.

“What did you do now?” Carver teased. Kenny was always coming up with some new gadget or something that he was sure was the next thing that would save them all. Carver hated that Kenny’s entire future in college had been disrupted by that night. The once brilliant student barely left the garage that had become his workshop.