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Dante allowed his lips to turn into a smile as the boy collapsed against him.

Let Carver try to run from him now. The boy belonged to Dante. Nothing would tear them apart.

Carver

Tears dripped from his eyes to land on the silver that flashed in the moonlight.

Standing beside the bed, Carver knew that he was running out of time. All he had to do was lift the dagger and bring it down.

“Make sure you don’t hesitate. It will take a strong hand to plunge that into my heart. You have to get through the breastbone, rib cage, and all the muscle.”

Carver didn’t even jolt at the low sound of Dante’s voice. He’d known that the older vampire was awake.

“It might be easier if you straddle me,” Dante offered. “It would be a better position to get the leverage you need.”

“Shut up,” Carver snapped. He didn’t even look at Dante. Couldn’t.

“I’m just trying to help. I hate seeing you struggling.”

Since Carver had been standing beside the bed with the dagger pointed at Dante, they were both probably fully aware that he wasn’t going to actually try to kill Dante. Carver was pretty sure try was the right word because he doubted that even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be physically strong enough.

“Aren’t you tired, baby?” Dante murmured. “Come back to bed.”

“I’m trying to kill you here.” Carver couldn’t help but be annoyed.

“I know. And I’m sorry but I can’t bear to see the goosebumps covering your entire body. Let me warm you up.”

Carver should have gotten dressed. He was freezing. In the back of his mind he’d thought maybe it would be easier to just grab the dagger and get it over with. He huffed.

“Come on,” Dante coaxed softly. “I’ll even give you some blood to help warm you up faster.”

This was such a bad idea. Carver was obviously over his head dealing with Dante and the bloodsuckers. He should have let Owen do this. His heart pounded fast. Except he might actually kill his best friend or anyone who got close to Dante. Dante belonged to him!

“Here.” Dante caught his wrist gently. “You can set that sharp little knife down right here. Well within reach. Just climb under the covers for me.”

Carver allowed Dante to guide his hand over where he placed the dagger down.

“Good boy. Come on.” Dante tugged until Carver was back on the bed and climbing under the thick covers.

“There. Isn’t that better?” Dante asked. He held Carver to his chest.

“I hate you,” Carver told him.

“I can tell by your scent how much you want to believe that,” Dante replied.

“How long have you known?” Was this a trap from the very beginning? Was Dante and the rest of the clan laughing at Carver behind his back?

“I didn’t know that you wanted to kill me,” Dante told him. “Just that you were full of deceit and hiding something big. It could have been anything.”

“Figures.” Carver couldn’t do anything right.

“Did someone send you?” Dante asked.

He tried to keep his body from stiffening. “No.”

“Not a lie but not the complete truth.”

Damn scents ratting Carver out. “I want to learn to do that.”